


put a bullet in me

by toxica939



Category: Emmerdale
Genre: Alternate Universe - Zombie Apocalypse, M/M, sort of
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-06-29
Updated: 2018-09-12
Packaged: 2018-11-20 23:37:15
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 13
Words: 37,885
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11345484
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/toxica939/pseuds/toxica939
Summary: “You don't look like a science geek,” the guy – Robert – calls out, moving across the room. He's as graceful as the girls are and lightening quick.Aaron's spent his life getting ribbed on by army boys and putting bullets through anything with eyes like this kid. A lifetime of fronting. He's not gonna turn into some little pussy now just because his knee's shot.“You don't talk like you were made in a test tube,” he shoots back.Robert pauses, eyes flickering. They really are feline, Aaron thinks, the way they move, the way they look out at the world. Of course, feline doesn't always mean house cat.Robert shrugs. “I have a TV.”“Do you?” Aaron hasn't seen TV in years, there's no power outside the city walls any more.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> this is a WIP and I can't make any promises about the speed at which it will get finished but I have quite a lot written. Hopefully it'll be worth the wait.

There's an empty drawer abandoned in the hallway, it's been upended and tossed aside. In Aaron's experience that's usually how these things go – grab everything you need and everything you care enough about to want, fuck the rest and run.

He's panting, can hear his own breath heaving and backs up against the wall. Sam's down the hall, catches Aaron's eye and motions him forward. Aaron shakes his head, he's right near the bedroom door, passing it would be suicide no matter what Sam thinks; Aaron knows. He knows.

Everything is still. The empty house is stagnant, long enough deserted to cloak itself in dust and echo with the weight of their sudden intrusion. They aren't supposed to be here, no one was supposed to come back here.

Aaron edges around the door frame, rifle first like always. The bed's unmade, sheets torn to hell, there's the dresser with the missing drawer, it's three brothers hanging open and bare. There's still a picture on the table beside the bed; a young couple laughing.

There's a rumble to Aaron's left and he swings around, doesn't wait for back up before heading to the adjoining bathroom. He can hear her whimpering inside, like a wounded dog, lungs clogged with blood.

 _Fuck_. That means he missed. Aaron never misses.

He must move, must have breathed wrong or something because the door splinters open in a shower of wood and she's on him before he can get a shot out. Dead eyes and cherry stained teeth, claws curling in his shoulders.

He hears Sam shout over the blood rushing in his ears.

The Shell's a little kid, no older than ten, and this is how he's going down.

:::

He doesn't die. That'd be too easy and fuck knows the world would hate to give him something simple.

Aaron comes to in the medical tent, Sam must have dragged him back to base after he put the Shell down. The other beds are empty which at least means the others had successful missions. That should feel like a good thing.

“Glad to see you back with us.” Cain's perched on a locker beside Aaron, still in his fatigues and weary.

Aaron pats himself down, still breathing, still rational, but he can't feel his legs. It's totally possible that's the first sign, how the fuck would he know.

“She get me?” he asks, because he's built a career out of not giving a shit, no point starting now.

Thankfully, Cain shakes his head, “Sammy put her down first, close call from what he said, almost didn't make it in time.”

But he did. He did. Aaron could fucking kiss Sam.

“That's good.”

Cain's face ripples like it isn't and Aaron's heart beats triple time again.

“Doc says your left knee's shot.”

Aaron lets his eyes fall closed. They both know what that means. You're no use in the field with a busted knee.

“For good?”

He hears Cain breathe, nothing moves. “Maybe.”

That means yes.

_Fucking man up Dingle._

He opens his eyes, fixes Cain with his mother's stare. “Give it to me straight Colonel.”

Cain shakes his head, balls a fist under his chin with a sigh, “You're on the truck back to the city in the morning. Doc says your best hope is a fuck load of physical therapy and we'll see where you are in six months.”

And just like that. Aaron's life is over.

:::

Leeds used to be a proper city, full of life and trees, rolling green around the edges. Aaron's mum used to talk about it like salvation, everything good that ever was and ever would be.

That was before.

It's far from desolate now, of course. A sprawling city scape of glass and concrete, ash where life used to thrive. Aaron doesn't think his mum would be proud to see him here now. But Aaron's out of options, his busted knee no use in the war zone.

Here is the third floor of Home Farm Corp, armed guards at the door behind him and a pretty little brunette plying him with coffee. He'd forgotten the taste of proper coffee; used to grinding it dry between his teeth, straight from the packet and just another way to stay awake that little bit longer, keep going.

“You know why you're here, Lieutenant?” Chrissie White is a beautiful woman, all dark hair and sharp edges. Her stare cuts through him, rattles his bones. Aaron's been warned about her before.

“You tell me,” he doesn't smirk at her. He's not an idiot.

Her nails tap at the glass of her desk, assessing. Aaron can feel her measuring him up. She must see something she likes though, because she flicks her wrist suddenly and the room empties out. Aaron's not going to lie, he feels a little more at ease without assault rifles trained on the back of his neck. He always has.

She sighs once they're alone, leans forward.

“Home Farm's been fostering a sort of...breeding program for a while now. All very hush hush. I'm the only one outside of the division who knows about it.”

Aaron bites at the inside of his cheek. “So why tell me?'

It's not as though it's a secret that the population's failing. Half the country got emptied out before the war even started and they've been picked off steadily since then. Nothing but Shells on the west coast, according to the newspapers. A breeding program's a little skeevy sure, but someone's gotta keep their arms staffed and the world turning.

Chrissie shrugs. “You come highly recommended, we could use your help.”

Aaron scoffs. “I'm not really in the market for starting a family.”

“Good. It's not you we're breeding.”

Aaron feels the colour drain from his face. “What?”

“You grew up in the war zone Aaron. Colonel Dingle assures us he's never worked with anyone who knows Shells like you do.”

Aaron sags back in his seat. He'd been expecting grunt work, maybe paper pushing. Whatever sort of job they normally throw at army kids who can't run anymore. This is not what he signed up for.

“You're joking, right? You're _breeding_ Shells? What the _fuck_.”

Chrissie shrugs, face blank. “We were surprised too. But something had to account for the growing numbers since we quarantined the uninfected. Only you soldier boys get near them these days.”

Aaron's stomach turns over. He wishes that were the case. Truth is there are plenty of groups still living outside the cities, still thinking they can fend for themselves against the infected.

“So what do you need me for?”

Chrissie rests her chin on a fist. “There's a facility, outside of the city. We've got a team there working with the prototypes. We want you to train them.”

“You want to put _me_ in charge of a team of scientists. What's wrong with you people? I follow orders, I get the job done. I'm no genius.”

She shrugs dismissively. “It's not the team, we want you train.”

Aaron realizes suddenly, exactly what she's saying, what she's suggesting. “That's not even possible.”

“We've had some exciting results so far,” she leans forward on to the desk and meets his eyes. “Aaron. They're too strong and they're too many. The only chance we have is to make our own, make them work for us. You've been out there, you know it's true.”

“This is not what I was trained for.”

Chrissie makes a sweeping gesture with one hand. “Well Lieutenant, consider this a promotion.”

Aaron closes his eyes, rubs a hand across his face and feels far too old to still be here. It's not like he has a choice. There's no way he's getting out of this room knowing this and not on their team.

“Where do I sign?”

:::

The world ended on a Thursday, eight years before Aaron was born. Boom, just like that. The infection hit in New York City, as far as reports can tell and spread like wild fire down the east coast. No escape, nowhere to hide, no one was safe. It crossed oceans before anyone could work out what was happening.

Aaron's heard the stories all his life. If he's honest he can't even imagine what the world was like before it ended. People make it sound like paradise, although Aaron's history books tell him this isn't the first war they've waged.

Not that it ended, of course, the world. That's just something people say.

The government collapsed, society imploded and everyone prayed for the end. Apparently.

Aaron's mum used to talk about Home Farm the same way people sometimes still talk about a God. Lawrence White rounded up the troops, gathered the survivors and started the New World. Nothing in his pocket but worthless pound notes and an iron stomach.

Aaron was born on an army base six miles south of where Emmerdale used to be. Home Farm military is all he's ever known, he had a gun in his hand at nine and he's learnt everything anyone could ever need to know about putting down Shells ever since. The fight, it's just life.

They call it the seption virus, incurable as far as tests can tell. Leaches the life out of its host, the humanity. Aaron's never met a Shell that wasn't feral, like wild dogs. They're definitely still alive though, Aaron's watched them eat.

No one knows where the virus came from, Aaron's mum used to talk about terrorist attacks but this is a world wide plague, no escape. Shells don't give a fuck about politics.

They go down the same as anything else though; shot to head, to the heart.

He's spent his whole life running from the bastards, killing what he could, fighting back because someone has to keep them away from the cities, keep the civilians safe so life can go on.

It has never occurred to Aaron to try and reason with a Shell. It's not possible. It's not how the world works.

:::

The _facility_ , as everyone keeps referring to it, is an hour outside the city limits, close enough to the walls that Aaron thinks it must have been a real fucking idiot who came up with this plan.

It's inconspicuous from the outside, could be a factory building like any of the others on the outskirts. Obviously it's fucking insane inside. Everything gleams, pristine white and plexiglass. It's like the city hospital Aaron spent the last year rotting in and he's not sure why that surprises him.

He's escorted into yet another office as soon as he arrives, bag still heavy on his shoulder and dirt on his boots.

The guy behind this desk is nothing like Chrissie or the other suits up at headquarters. He's dressed up like a doctor, scrubs and white coat, sort of squirrelly looking around the eyes.

He introduces himself as Eric, pathetic little handshake that makes Aaron miss his brothers on the base so suddenly it's like a kick in the teeth.

“Lieutenant,” he says, “We've heard so much about you.”

And frankly, Aaron's sick of this shit.

“Doctor, I've been held in waiting rooms and driven around in circles for the last three days. I've been tested and prodded at and kept in solitary. Now do you want to tell me what the fuck I'm actually here for or do you want to soothe my ego some more?”

The Doc doesn't look impressed by the outburst, but the guy's smart enough to keep his mouth shut. Aaron's military, the guy knows what that means.

“I've been running this program for over eight years, Lieutenant, I would thank you to respect the work that we do here. It's going to save this country from extinction.”

Aaron takes the seat he's offered and nods. “And what exactly is it that you do here?”

Eric pauses for a second, as though he's actually trying to decide whether Aaron should know or not. There's a potted cactus gathering dust on the shelf behind Eric's desk and Aaron focuses on it until the urge to roll his eyes seeps away.

“Half breeds. We have fourteen in this facility, all fully matured now.”

It's the way he says it, more than anything, so proud of himself.

“You infected kids?” Aaron asks, disgust welling up inside him.

“We engineered them. They carry the virus but their DNA is still human. They speak, they learn.”

“Sounds like you lot have got this thing sewn up,” he says expectantly. Because things can't be going all that swimmingly if they need Aaron here.

Eric looks down. “There have been some casualties in recent months. The prototypes aren't children anymore and they are still part Shell. They're violent, the morality we've attempted to imprint is shaky at best, they fight each other for fun,” he pauses, folds his arms. “We simply don't have the training to get in with them anymore. We've lost men.”

Aaron lets that sink in. Closes his eyes when there's no way to make it easier to swallow. “Let me get this straight. You _engineered_ a bunch of Shells and now you're _surprised_ they've started killing your men.”

Eric frowns, body tightening up. “They're half human.”

“They're half Shell,” Aaron argues.

“That's why you're here. Who knows more about Shells than you do? Your mother-”

Aaron doesn't blink. “You shut your fucking mouth about my mother.”

Eric hold up his hands. “Right. Look, you wouldn't be here if we didn't need your help. They're grown now and getting stronger. They understand reason, they listen when it suits them. We just need you to get them in line.”

He has to laugh. “Doc, they're not fucking pets. I shoot Shells for a living, I don't chat with them.”

The Doctor's gaze flicks down to Aaron's knee. “Well, here's your chance.”

:::

Aaron sleeps most of the afternoon away. It's odd sleeping in a real bed, eleven months and he still wakes up every morning thinking he's back on the base.

There's a set of scrubs at the foot of his bed when Aaron gets out of the shower and he bypasses them for his own jeans. He's not a doctor.

A little guy with a mess of hair and white chapped lips accompanies Aaron down to the prototype wing. The bloke's name is Dan and Aaron finds himself thinking it's no wonder they can't handle Shells if this is the sort of weedy guy they've got working with them.

“We let them socialise during the day,” Dan tells him as they navigate a maze of hallways and locked doors. “It's important for them to have those relationships and conversations,” he explains, “They have to form bonds.”

Aaron nods, unconvinced. “And does it work? Are they a happy little family?”

Dan flushes red. “We separate them if the fighting gets too bad. They sleep alone.”

They duck through another door and Aaron can hear shouting now, not far off. He recognises the sound.

“So honestly, what do you think my chances are of getting in there with them?”

Dan pauses by the next door and stares resolutely at Aaron's shoulder. “When they were smaller, we could go in with them for an hour or so a day, come away with a few bruises,” he shrugs. “You can talk to them, you can teach them, they'll probably make you laugh. They're good kids.”

“But?”

“No one's been in with them in over year and come out in once piece.”

Aaron doesn't know what he's expecting to find in the next room, he has no real concept of anything worse than what he's already lived through.

It's brightly lit, clinical, wall of reinforced glass cutting through the middle.

And there they are.

There are only three of them and they look shockingly normal. Dressed in street clothes, feet bare. One of the girls has her hair tied up. They look like a bunch of civilian kids in a glass cage, they're not snarling, they're not flinging themselves at him with teeth bared (something he's more than familiar with when it comes to Shells) they don't even look up until Dan taps the glass with a knuckle and backs up.

There it is. The eyes. All of them crystal clear, ice blue. Identical. It's always the eyes. Aaron knows good, solid guys who've been turned away from service for having naturally blue eyes. Too much of a risk in the field.

The blonde haired girl with the pony tail is up against the glass in a flash, all cat like grace and panther's eyes. She cocks her head and wrinkles her brow, just watching. It's almost childlike and creepy as hell.

She's pretty, Aaron thinks, pouty and pale. He's never let a Shell live long enough to get a good look at one and everything looks different with a bullet in its head.

A dark haired girl moves up behind her, just as self-contained. There's so much power in those slim bodies and Aaron's not even going to pretend he isn't terrified having their eyes on him like this.

“Who's this?” the blonde asks, steely gaze flickering over to Dan.

Dan smiles, pats Aaron on the chest. “This is Aaron. He's going to be spending a lot of time with you guys.”

The brunette smiles a little. “Hi Aaron,” she says and sinks her teeth into the blonde's shoulder, sudden and deep.

Dan sighs and turns to face Aaron, apparently unphased as the girls dive at each other.

“You're not going to do anything about that?” Aaron asks. It's not as though he's not used to pointless violence but it's a little distracting.

Dan quirks an eyebrow. “What would you have me do? Turn a hose on them? They're _playing_ , Lieutenant, this is what they do for fun.”

Aaron absorbs the information. He can work with that, the guys on the base were the same way. Always scrapping and spitting at each other.

Who is he even kidding?

Dan waits until the fight's over and the girls stalk to opposite side of the room to lick their wounds.

“Meet Vic and Debbie,” he introduces, gesturing to the girls. “And Robert.”

The guy's sprawled against the back wall a few feet away. He's built like a fucking truck, skin winter pale from a life time indoors and hair a mess. He's still looking directly at Aaron. He looks bored, uninterested.

Aaron fucking _wishes_.

“You named them?”

Dan bristles. “They're going to fight for this country. They're still people.”

“Barely,” Aaron snorts, but he's not here to fight. “Do you always keep them in there?”

“In the morning mostly, the fourteen have been split into groups, you'll be working with these three. There's an outdoor area they can use too, that's usually in the afternoon,” he gestures to the door on the far side of the room. “Their rooms are through there, glass fronted and separate. They don't seem to sleep well with company.”

Aaron nods. Why would they?

“What about the rest of them?”

“You're not the only guy out of service who grew up around Shells,” Dan tells him.

“Well you sure know how to make a lad feel special, Doc,” Aaron rolls his eyes, figures all that was just spin to get him to agree to this shitfest. “So what do I do?”

Dan shrugs. “Talk to them, for now. You're safe here, they can't get through the glass,” he pats Aaron one last time. “I'll leave you to it. Security will keep watch outside. I assume you're armed.”

Aaron just looks at him. He's always fucking armed.

He's not exactly sure what to do once Dan leaves. The Shells on the other side of the glass don't seem remotely interested in talking with him.

He sits down, against the wall and a couple of feet back from the glass. Maybe if he just sits with them for a while, they'll get used to him or something. He's flying by the seat of his pants here, he's no animal trainer.

“You don't look like a science geek,” the guy – Robert – calls out, moving across the room. He's as graceful as the girls are and lightening quick.

Aaron's spent his life getting ribbed on by army boys and putting bullets through anything with eyes like this kid. A lifetime of fronting. He's not gonna turn into some little pussy now just because his knee's shot.

“You don't talk like you were made in a test tube,” he shoots back.

Robert pauses, eyes flickering. They really are feline, Aaron thinks, the way they move, the way they look out at the world. Of course, feline doesn't always mean house cat.

Robert shrugs. “I have a TV.”

“Do you?” Aaron hasn't seen TV in years, there's no power outside the city walls any more.

Robert just looks at him, eyes like glass.

“I'm not a science geek anyway,” Aaron tells him. “I'm military.”

“Like us?” Vic snakes out from behind Robert, comes forward until she's on her knees, close enough to touch if it wasn't for the glass.

He snorts. “Sure.”

Robert sits down too, backhanding Vic out of the way when she doesn't make room for him. “You fight?” he asks, looking slightly more interested.

Aaron nods. “When I have to.”

Vic sits forward, chin on Robert's shoulder and it's weird as hell, watching Shells touch and talk and function.

“Are you going to fight with us?” she asks and the little grin playing around her mouth tells him she's hopeful.

Aaron rubs a hand across is mouth. “I'm hoping not.”

“So why are you here?”

He shrugs, tries not to meet her eyes because that will never stop freaking him the fuck out. “Apparently the science guys are having a little trouble keeping you under control.”

Robert laughs, actually fucking laughs, all normal and shit.

“God,” he says. “You kill _one_ guy.”

Aaron doesn't want to hear about that. “Look, the way I figure it, you guys are pretty much our only hope. You know what you are. I've been fighting your kind all my life and we're losing.”

Robert smirks, doesn't even flinch. “Of course you are. You're weak, so you keep us in cages.”

“I'm pretty sure the cage is mostly so you don't kill _anymore_ guys,” Aaron offers.

“And they think we're going to fight for them,” Robert says to Vic, shaking his head. “Fucking _humans_.”

“We want you to fight _with_ us. You play the game, you get out of the cage.”

Robert snarls, teeth bared and fists to the floor. He looks feral, just like that. Flip the switch and the mild mannered college boy'll rip your arm off and eat it. That's more like it.

Aaron stands. That's enough for today.

 


	2. Chapter 2

Aaron's room is as stark white as the rest of the place, right down to the furniture. It's not in his nature to try and make a place look homey but it's so much like sleeping in a coffin that it bothers him.

He doesn't meet the other guys they've got training the prototypes for another couple of days but they seem fine when he does; as wary and terrified about the whole thing as he is.

Barton's the only one Aaron recognises. Ross took a bullet to the shoulder eighteen months ago, got shipped back to the city while Aaron was on patrol. He never got chance to say goodbye.

“Can't say I'm surprised to see you here,” Ross says across the breakfast table. They have a shared kitchen in their block, away from the doctors.

“Yeah?”

Ross shrugs. “You know Shells, Dingle.”

Aaron bites his tongue.

“Figures they'd call you. I hear you got the nastiest bunch.”

Aaron's cereal is going soggy and he pokes at it absently. “They seem fine. Control issues, sharp teeth. Pretty much as expected.”

Ross inclines his head, glances over Aaron's shoulder when Adam shuffles in. “I didn't expect any of this,” he says.

Aaron shakes his head. “That's because you always expect us to lose. That's what got you shot.”

“Fuck you Dingle,” Ross spits, up out of his chair.

Adam steps in, hand splayed across Ross chest. “Settle down girls. Save it for the Shells.”

Rumour has it Adam was stationed up near ground zero, where the first wave hit. He's got shadows in his eyes that Aaron avoids like his own face in the mirror.

Aaron eats his soggy cereal and doesn't look up again.

:::

“So you think this is going to work?”

Robert's been sat beside Aaron for the last hour, shoulder pressed to his own side of the glass. He has a book in his lap that he's been reading in between sneaking glances at Aaron.

Aaron shrugs, keeps watching the TV the girls dragged in from Vic's room. “I don't know. I haven't even decided if I think it should.”

The truth is, these kids aren't Shells, not the kind Aaron knows. He has no clue how he feels about them or this whole set up, figures it doesn't much matter.

“But you're helping them.”

“I've been given a job to do. I'm doing it.”

“And you always do what you're told?” Robert's grinning now. He has perfect white teeth and dimples. Shells don't have dimples.

“Within reason. Following orders has a long history of keeping me alive.”

Robert looks down at his book. “We're not like them, you know. The things out there that you hate. They show us videos and stuff and we're nothing like them.”

Aaron considers that. “It's still in you, that's the reason you can't control yourselves as well as we need you to.”

“And everything I do is all about what humans need right? How is that fair?”

Aaron presses his knuckles to the glass and doesn't think about the answer to that question. “Nothing about any of this is fair,” he says.

Military kids don't get a choice, Aaron never had a choice. You fight because you have to and you do it well because you want to live.

:::

They carry on like that for days; stilted conversations through the glass. Vic always hovers close while Robert does the talking. Debbie always looks like she's half a step away from launching herself at something.

There's something that vibrates in the air whenever Robert get's too close to the glass; leaves Aaron keyed up, frustrated.

He's not getting anywhere.

Adam shakes his head when Aaron tells him about it, looks like Aaron's missing the point completely. “You've got to get them to trust you,” he says, rote, like even he doesn't know what that means.

Aaron braces his elbows on his knees, huffs. “How's that working out for you so far?”

Adam looks away.

“We're not going to get anywhere with any of them if we act like we're afraid,” Aaron tells him.

Adam's brow furrows. “Aren't you though?”

Of course Aaron's afraid. His whole life has just shifted sideways. He's trying to make the best of it. The quicker he gets this job done the quicker they can find him something else to do.

“We need to shake things up a bit.”

Adam sits beside him, knocks their elbows together. “You've got a death wish, Dingle. But you've got balls, I'll give you that.”

:::

Dan's mouth drops open when Aaron tells him he wants in.

“It's too soon,” he says, hand on his hip and mouth tight.

Aaron shakes his head. “Not all of them, just one. Put me in a room with one of them.”

Dan looks at him like he's lost his mind and Aaron meets his gaze, tries not to let his smugness show when Dan gives in.

“Vic,” he says. “It'll have to be Vic.”

“I was thinking Robert,” Aaron says back. He'd watched the switch flip in Robert that first day, it's the closest he's got to understanding any of them.

Dan snorts, already pulling out paperwork and rooting through his filing cabinet. “I'm not putting you in with our biggest prototype Lieutenant, he'll break you in half.”

“I have a gun.”

Dan shakes his head. “No, absolutely not. If it has to be someone it'll be Vic. And you cannot take a weapon in with her. No way.”

That, Aaron wasn't expecting. “You want me to go in there unarmed? That's your plan?”

“We can't risk you actually shooting a prototype.”

Aaron huffs a laugh, humourless. “And if she goes for me?”

Dan looks away, eyes flitting around the room shiftily. “With all due respect Lieutenant, _you_ can be replaced.”

:::

The meeting room is glass on three sides, one white wall and a door to the Shell enclosure. Dan seals the glass, sits behind Aaron and turns away. Figures he wouldn't want to watch Aaron's suicide mission.

Because that's what this is. He can't believe he's doing this with no weapon.

There are three other guys outside the glass box, all with military issue rifles. Aaron's not sure of the point of that, why would _they_ be allowed to shoot at something?

It's probably all just part of the show.

Aaron looks down at his bare feet when the door slides open.

Vic looks the same as always, dark hair tangled up into a ponytail, cherry bitten lips and a light blue sweatshirt. It matches her eyes.

He forces his body to relax, look as non confrontational as possible because she's drawn up tight, nose twitching. Aaron figures she's probably not used to being around humans on her own.

“Aaron?” she asks, not coming any closer but not backing down. “What's going on?” She's looking out at the guys with the guns, eyes bright. She doesn't look happy.

Aaron turns his head a little. “Dan,” he calls, “Get these guys out of here, yeah? Vic doesn't like them.”

She settles down a little when they're gone, watches Aaron's face in that way she has.

“Why are we in here?” she asks. “Did I do something wrong?”

Aaron's surprised she even understands the concept of punishment. They do nothing but surprise him.

Taking a chance, Aaron sits down slowly, never takes his eyes off her. He watches her copy him warily and figures this is about as calm as he can hope for. He's not dead yet anyway, always a good sign.

“I'm trying to show the science guys, that you're not going to kill me if I'm _inside_ the cage.”

She tilts her head again, quiet. “I don't understand.”

Aaron nods, sags back against the glass. “That's fine. I'm just here to talk, you haven't done anything wrong. It's just to see if we get along.”

He watches her bite at her lip, looking every bit the shy school girl. It's makes him feel sad, suddenly, that she never has a chance of a life like that. Some kids, even these days, have a home and parents.

They chat for a while, about nothing, about what Aaron did in the army and why he walks with a limp. Vic seems fascinated that he can be hurt so permanently and Aaron changes the subject as swiftly as possible. She creeps closer as they talk and Aaron pretends not to notice, bites down on the inside of his cheek to calm his racing heart.

She closes the last of the distance quickly, sits cross legged right beside him.

“You smell nice,” she says, fingers hovering over his arm, ruffling the hairs there.

Aaron doesn't dare breathe.

“Robert said you'd smell good. Said he could just tell,” she meets his eyes. “He knew I was meeting you today, he always knows. He said you wouldn't hurt me.”

Aaron shakes his head. “Of course not.”

His breath shudders out in little bursts when she presses her forehead against his shoulder, burning hot through his t shirt. It's okay.

Aaron can't believe it. She's practically snuggled up against him purring. He's supposed to be dead by now. He bets Dan's having a coronary.

Vic nips at his shoulder when she pulls away, hard enough to make Aaron flinch but not to draw blood. He remembers Dan saying, _this is how they have fun_.

He must be getting used to the eyes because he doesn't even blink when she looks at him. “Robert says you're going to help us.”

Aaron nods but his mind is reeling. “Does Robert talk about me a lot?” He's really not sure how he feels about that. Hates that it makes him feel lit up, eager.

Vic laughs a little, looks at him like he's crazy. “Since we were little.”

Which is obviously ridiculous, because Aaron had never seen Robert until a few days ago. But it's not a massive surprise that not everything these guys say makes sense.

Aaron falls back on to the floor when the door slides closed behind Vic. His heart's hammering away in his chest, blood pumping. Now he doesn't have to pretend to be calm he feels like jumping right out of his skin.

Dan is staring in through the glass, he looks like he's been hit by a truck.

“You think that went okay?” Aaron calls, eyes closing on a grin, laughter bubbling up.

That was such a fucking rush.

:::

Word gets around pretty quickly that Aaron's some kind of Shell whisperer. The other guys in his block start to look at him with an uneasy mixture of respect and jealousy. Which Aaron figures is probably fair. He hasn't heard about anyone else having much luck.

Ross steps around him in the kitchen now, he stopped trying to pick a fight after the first couple of foiled attempts and he's playing nice for now.

Aaron gets called into Eric's office the next afternoon for a slap on the back and a beer. Aaron drinks it like pop and doesn't think too hard about anything. He's doing his job and he's doing it well. Simple as that. It's what he was raised to do.

The next week he's allowed to watch the prototypes outside. They're walled in with glass even there, fifteen feet high. It's open top though and Aaron finds himself feeling glad that they get to feel the air on their skin. Dan calls it the quad, although Aaron doesn't know why. He thinks sometimes, that they seem happier with the sun in their eyes.

He meets with Vic again, lets her trace the lines of his palm and tell him stories about Debbie and Robert and the soaps she watches after lights out.

He meets Debbie briefly. She struts into the room like she owns the place, prowls the perimeter, hissing at Dan. Debbie's the most unpredictable of them all, although not necessarily the most violent. Still, she bares her teeth when she nears Aaron, fists curled up to hide her claws. He thinks for a second that she's going to dive for him but she spins away, slaps at the door and shouts, “Get me out of here before I get myself in trouble.”

He spends enough time watching them, keeping to himself, that he starts to pick up on their tells. The slightest thing can set them off. Debbie lashes out at anyone who comes at her from behind, Vic'll take a swing at anything if they come at her first but Aaron's never seen her _start_ a fight, not since that first day.

They have personalities and favourite things and they're scary as fuck, sure, but Aaron doesn't like to see them caged anymore. Sometimes Vic will stand with her face pressed to the glass, watching the science guys move around and leave. She talks to him about freedom once, what it means and how it doesn't exist.

It's always Robert his eyes come back to though.

Robert's in charge, from what Aaron can tell, the girls defer to him like an older brother, which Aaron supposes he kind of is. Aaron has no idea what sets him off, anything and everything it would seem. He bites and kicks and punches and laughs and jokes and strokes Vic's hair when Debbie takes a chunk out of her.

He watches Aaron right back too, in a way the others got tired of pretty quickly.

Robert is a mystery. He's dangerous. And Aaron can't get him out of his head.

:::

Adam always looks haunted. Aaron can see him fronting it out, always with a smile, but it's paper thin at the best of times. Aaron can see the cracks.

“You alright?” he asks, handing off a beer.

It's not often you can still find the decent bottled stuff. Aaron supposes Home Farm's sparing no expense for their little science experiment.

Adam takes it gratefully, elbows braced on the kitchen table.

It's dark out. Aaron spent all day watching Robert spar with Debbie. He's trying not to think to much about Robert's grin, blood on his teeth and light in those empty eyes.

Debbie is hard where Vic is soft. And she's much less likely to do what Robert says without hitting back first. It's Aaron's favourite thing about her.

“I hear you're having more luck that the rest of us,” Adam says. “Your risk taking paid off?”

He's making an effort, Aaron can tell, so he shrugs affably. “They let me in with Vic a couple of times. Debbie wont talk to me. It is what it is.”

Adam nods. “I've met Vic, she's...”

“Different.” Aaron knows. There's a kindness in her that doesn't sit well. With anyone, if the way half the guards bristle whenever she gets too close to the glass is anything to go by.

“Yeah. I almost got close once but Robert shut it down. They switched me out to group C before you arrived,” he laughs. “Don't even get me started on that lot, mate.”

Aaron sips at his beer. “Robert's pretty protective of her.”

“That's one way of putting it,” Adam says. “I heard once, genetically, they're as close to being related as they can get.”

Something about that spasms inside Aaron's chest. Feels _wrong_.

“I don't know how I feel about all this,” he admits.

“Them or the cages?”

“Both.”

Adam scratches at his cheek. “We've all been there, bro. You just gotta remember that they're not all human. Don't get caught up in it. There's enough Shell in there to make this work. There has to be.”

“Are if the Whites have got this all wrong?”

Adam looks away. “Then we're all fucked anyway, so what does it matter?”

Aaron wishes it was that simple for him. Robert in a cage, that has to matter. This has to work.

:::

Dan actually laughs this time. “You're kidding.”

“No,” Aaron shakes his head. “And this is happening, whether you organise it or I have to go over your head. I want Robert, in the quad, no supervision.”

Aaron knows, just _knows_ , that Robert will have nothing to do with it if there's anyone else there.

Dan's shaking his head before Aaron's even finished speaking. “Out of the question. You can have him alone, through the glass. I'm not putting you in there with him.”

“He's not going to hurt me. He's the one telling the others I'm okay.”

Dan pauses, as if the idea is so ridiculous he can't believe he's hearing it.

“Lieutenant. Trust me on this, you're not ready. Through the glass or not at all, those are your choices.”

:::

Robert looks annoyed when they let him out into the quad alone. Aaron stands by the glass and understands the feeling. He needs to get in there, everything in his body is strumming with something he can't name, straining for it.

It's cool out, overcast, and Robert prowls around the quad for a few minutes. Wide shoulders twitching under his thin t shirt. He's so big; tall and built. The only one of the prototypes Aaron's seen with a body that gives any clues at all to the power they've got, the strength. Aaron thinks Robert would have made a good solider no matter what, in another life.

“So what?” Robert calls over after a while, moves closer. “I'm not good enough for you to speak to properly?” He doesn't really sound offended, almost disinterested but that's Robert's default anyway. Aaron doesn't buy it.

Aaron shrugs. “They wouldn't let me. It's this or nothing for now.”

Robert laughs, smile razor sharp, and stops in front of Aaron, right up against the glass. “They're afraid of me.”

“You want them to be,” Aaron says. Because that much is obvious.

“They should be,” his eyes flicker over Aaron's torso. “You shouldn't.”

Aaron stomach flips, Robert's blank eyes are suddenly full of something. Deep and bottomless and Aaron can't look away. He wants to touch.

“Yeah? How's that?”

Robert steps in even closer, belly pressed up against the glass. “I've been waiting for you my whole life.”

Aaron shakes his head, that can't be. “You don't know anything about me.”

“You're going to set me free.”

Aaron sways a little, palm to the glass to steady himself. He can't think straight when Robert looks at him like that. Blood rushing in his ears, heart pounding. This is a bad idea.

“You're a science experiment,” Aaron spits, but it's half hearted. “You get out if you play along. You keep this up and they'll just go to plan B.”

“This is no plan B.”

“Not yet maybe. There will be if this all goes south.”

Robert's growling under his breath, body tightening up. “We didn't ask for any of this.”

“None of us did. That's just how it works. You do what needs to be done and life keeps going on. You think _this_ was part of my plan? I'm a fucking solider.”

He should still be on the base, fighting. This isn't going to get him anywhere.

Robert settles down a little, cocks his head just like Vic does. “What's outside like?”

That makes Aaron pause. Outside is awful, it's the worst place on earth. Aaron misses it like breathing.

“It's big, dangerous. Very brown. There are rivers, animals. You've never seen it?”

Robert shrugs a little, looks uncomfortable. “On TV. That's where we're supposed to fight right? Outside?”

“It's where the fight is,” Aaron agrees.

Robert takes a slow breath, fogs the glass between them. “I want to go outside. With you.”

And suddenly Aaron can't think of anything he'd like more. Running through a field with Robert, wind in his hair and no busted knee.

“I tell you what,” Aaron says. “You convince them I can get in there with you and get out in one piece, I'll get you outside.”

Robert nods, thinking it over, that ice blue gaze tripping down Aaron's body again. “Can I touch you?” he asks, just a gust of breath.

The air in Aaron's lungs shudders still, skin tingling. He feels like he's on fire.

“Yes.”

 


	3. Chapter 3

Robert delivers. Of course he does.

He spends the next week following orders like a trooper. He does it all with a sour expression on his face but at this point people should take what they can get.

Aaron watches it all through the glass, leads Vic and Debbie through some military grade hand to hand and he only has to hammer on the window once when things get a little heated.

Robert picks everything up too fast. It's like he knows what Aaron's going to show him before it happens. It's unsettling and more than a little thrilling to watch Robert fight so efficiently.

By the end of the week Dan's so impressed he's practically vibrating and people are making noises about getting up some sort of target practice for them in the quad.

Aaron did think it was strange that no one was bringing up the fact that at some point, if they really wanted these guys out in the field, they were going to have to arm them. It all feels like a step in the right direction.

He leaves it another few days to put the request in, goes over Dan's head and straight to Eric this time, needs to be taken seriously.

He can't stand much more of Robert's eyes on him through the glass, that pinked up bottom lip caught between perfect white teeth while he tracks Aaron with his gaze.

He can't sleep at night any more without dreaming of Robert; big hands and messy hair. Aaron wants to mess him up, wants to get _wrecked_.

It's completely unprofessional.

:::

Ross, predictably, thinks it's hilarious when he hears. “He'll kill you.”

“He wont.”

“Do you know how many guys they've let go in with him?” Ross says, looking to Adam for back up. “One. Do you see him anywhere?”

Aaron rolls his eyes. “This is different.” _He's_ different.

“What? Because he's been on his best behaviour this week? He's messing with you.”

“Why do you even care, mate? I thought you wanted rid of me.”

Ross' lip curls. “You know what? Do what you like. It's your funeral.”

Adam groans, pained, when Ross stalks out of the kitchen, door swinging shut behind him.

Aaron is at a loss. “What was all that about?”

“He was mates with the last guy. The one before me. No one wants to see anyone else go out like that.”

He's supposed to ask, Aaron knows, he's supposed to want to know what Robert did.

He looks away instead.

:::

Eric is even less convinced.

“You're making good progress, I'l give you that.”

Aaron cuts him off. “I'm going in.”

“That's not your call to make.”

“No. It's yours, so make it.”

Eric rubs a hand over his eyes, looks older than Aaron's ever seen him. “You know, I knew Chas.”

Aaron keeps his face perfectly blank. “That hasn't got anything to do with this.”

“There wasn't anything you could have done, Aaron.”

He swallows. It hurts, to think about her, even now. He doesn't need Eric to know that though. “That's not what this is about.”

“Robert is not worth saving. It's not your job to save any of them.”

“No. It's my job to get them ready for war. How do you expect me to do that if I can't get close to them? You know Robert, if he'll listen to me, the girls'll fall in line. Maybe all of them.”

Eric looks like he's turning it over in his head.

Aaron gets it. He knows why they wouldn't trust him to get this done, but they're the one's who asked for him. Probably even Eric knows, he's the only one who's got it in him.

It's a long time before Eric nods. “You're taking a gun.”

Aaron doesn't want to. The thought of using it wouldn't even cross his mind. But still.

“Fine.”

:::

They're inside this time. The same little glass box he usually meets Vic in.

They've doubled the armed guards keeping watch, pretty much everyone else in the place gathered on the balcony to watch Aaron get taken to pieces. Even Adam's there, a half wince on his face already.

They've got no idea what's going on here.

The gun at his waist isn't loaded. They don't know that either.

There's a familiar little hydraulic hiss as the door slides open.

Every molecule in Aaron's body prickles with awareness. This is it.

Robert looks even bigger than usual, shouldering through the doorway like he owns the place. Robert's gaze flickers over Aaron's shoulder for a second and Aaron knows there's no way he isn't staring down the barrel of every rifle in the place right now.

Robert doesn't even blink.

“And here was me thinking we were due some alone time,” Robert says, voice a murmur. Aaron doesn't know how much they can be heard from the other side of the glass but it's a safe bet they're being recorded.

Aaron doesn't want anyone to know what Robert's proximity is doing to him. He angles his chin. “Take what you can get.”

Robert grins. He's coming closer and it's terrifying, thrilling. Like Aaron's finally coming back to life after the front line was snatched away from him. He breathes it all in.

Robert doesn't stop until they're chest to chest, an inch away from touching. Aaron has to look up at him, had no idea he'd be into that.

God, he's fucking sick in the head. If Cain could see him now, he'd be horrified.

It's difficult to care when Robert's fingers are coming up to touch his chin, gentle, reverent. Aaron holds his breath, probably the whole room is holding their breath.

Maybe they're waiting for Robert to snap his neck. Aaron's waiting to get kissed.

Of course, Robert's not actually an idiot.

He ducks in close, drags his nose up the vulnerable skin on Aaron's neck, as close to scent marking as Aaron's ever seen him get. There's hot breath behind his ear, Robert's shoulders blocking out the light.

Aaron doesn't know if he's ever been this turned on in his life. He's goddamn Home Farm military and look at him, half hard in his jeans already. He's supposed to be stronger than this.

Maybe Robert was right. Maybe they've both been waiting for this for longer than makes any sense.

Robert steps back, hand sliding down Aaron's arm before falling away. “You smell better than I thought you would,” he says.

“Yeah?”

“Maybe the real thing's always better,” Robert says, shrugs. “I wouldn't know.”

Aaron doesn't know what he's supposed to say to that. “You want to sit?” is what he settles on in the end.

Robert does. They sit side by side, backs against the glass to face away from all the prying eyes. It feels wrong to be doing this with an audience. Aaron's already looking forward to next time, Dan's going to have to give him what he wants now.

“You're looking pretty pleased with yourself,” Robert comments.

Aaron nods. “There's a room full of people who thought I'd be dead by now. I'm having a decent day, yeah.”

It startles a laugh out of Robert. A reaction so human it makes Aaron's chest constrict. How can they think he's a monster? He's just a man.

“I'm not,” Robert says, as though Aaron had spoken out loud.

“What?”

Robert looks at him, heavy, like it means something. “I'm not a man,” he grins. “I'm better than that.”

Aaron wants to question him, wants to know how he knew what Aaron was thinking, wants to know everything.

But he doesn't do any of that. He just holds Robert's gaze, lets their knees press together where they're stretched out in front of them. Closes his eyes against the wave of want having Robert so close is pushing through him.

This isn't normal.

“It's okay,” Robert says, speaking apropos of nothing again. “We're playing the long game right?”

Aaron nods. That's exactly what they're doing.

“Then I can wait.”

Robert's hand is splayed across his own thigh, fingers curled ever so slightly in the denim of his jeans. Aaron spreads his fingers wide, little finger edging over to brush against Robert's. Just that little touch is enough to spread heat through him, cheeks pinking up. His heart is hammering away in his chest, thumping at his ribs. He wonders if Robert can hear it.

There's a smile playing at the corner of Robert's mouth. Aaron wants to put his tongue there, wonders if Robert knows that too.

“What if _I_ can't?” he asks. Because he's a good little soldier, yeah, but no one stays alive this long in war without breaking the rules every now and again, getting a little reckless.

Robert moves like lightening, a ripple through his body and the world shifting out from under Aaron. He finds himself sprawled on his back across the floor, Robert over him on his knees.

There's banging on the glass, Aaron can hear shouting but he can't look away from Robert's eyes. He's spellbound.

Robert dips down, arms taking his weight so he can speak into Aaron's ear, breath stirring the fine hairs there. “I could ruin you,” he whispers. “I want to.”

Aaron sinks his teeth into his bottom lip, eyes falling shut. His dick is throbbing, the only thing keeping him from rolling his hips up into Robert's is the vague memory of the audience they've got.

He gets a hand up, grips at Robert's jaw, fingers biting in because something in him just knows that's how Robert likes it. He's vindicated when Robert's breath shudders still, mouth dropping open on a half groan. Aaron puts all his strength behind it, pulls Robert until they're eye to eye, a breath away from kissing and he hopes this doesn't look like what it is, because he's losing it.

Robert's gone still, body coiled tight, Aaron's fingers pressing the skin of his cheeks red and white. If he was human he'd be in pain.

Aaron shakes him a little. “Not. Yet,” he says. He puts every bit of authority he earned on the front line into it.

It makes Robert's lips curl. “You want it,” he says, barely more than a breath, teeth snapping.

Aaron nods, no point lying, holds eye contact. “I'm going to get it. And you're going to do exactly what I tell you to so we can make that happen. Right?”

Robert cocks his head, assessing. He's still braced over Aaron, hasn't pulled free of the death grip Aaron's got on his jaw. His eyes tick over Aaron's face, rapid little flickers back and forth before he grins. “Yes, sir.”

Aaron has to close his eyes again at the ripple of heat that spikes through him, air humming between them. Robert's playing with him, they both know it. Aaron isn't even sure he cares.

Robert lets himself be pushed back, Aaron using the hand on his face to guide him up on to his knees so he can scoot out from under him.

Aaron stands up, can't believe his eyes when Robert doesn't move.

He glances around, can see Dan and Adam out there, every single one of them with their mouths hanging open at the sight of Robert kneeling at his feet.

Robert's eyes are dancing when they meet Aaron's. To anyone else he probably looks submissive, to Aaron he's a lion, biding him time until the tamer lets his guard down.

He's in way over his head.

:::

He gets a hero's welcome in quarters, all back slaps and grudging respect. They guys all keep their distance though, impressed but wary. Aaron gets it, he wouldn't want to get too close to the guy who'd spent his afternoon on his back under a Shell either. It doesn't sit right with any of them and he hasn't got a way to explain it that doesn't end up with him sounding like he's losing his mind.

It's Ross who hands him his first beer. “Suppose I'm glad you're still in one piece,” he says, eyes dark.

Aaron takes a long swig, nods. “Touching, ta. How are you getting on with your lot?”

He's deflecting because he doesn't want to talk about today any more, doesn't want to think about how close he'd come to fucking it all up just because he's let Robert get in his head. He needs to get it together.

“Nowhere fast,” Ross shrugs. He glances around, makes sure no one's listening. “Robert's in charge of yours, yeah?”

Aaron nods. As far as he can tell that's about true.

Ross leans forward, voice low. “Do you think he's in charge of all of them?”

It's crossed Aaron's mind a couple of time. “What makes you say that?”

“One of my girls, Liv, she's mentioned him a couple of times. Sort _oh Robert wouldn't like that_ , that sort of thing.”

Aaron shrugs. “Right?”

“Well she's never met him, has she? How would she know?”

Aaron tries to keep his expression blank, mind racing. It's starting to come together now, the way Robert could read him, the way the girls defer to him. It's easy to forget, when you're dreaming about pressing your body up against someone; that they're not human.

He shrugs again, claps Ross on the shoulder. “I'll ask, yeah? If things play out the way I think they will, we'll all have to work together soon anyway. They're not going to build an army keeping them separated like this.”

Ross doesn't look happy but he settles back in his seat, picks up his own beer. There's a look on his face, something rippling under the surface, like he want to say something else. Aaron thinks he should probably feel bad that he's grateful to leave it there. He's got enough to think on for now.

He needs to talk to Robert again. Alone.

 


	4. Chapter 4

He dreams of bottomless eyes, heavy breathing in his ear and miles of unblemished skin; of running, freedom.

They're the same dreams he's been having for weeks. Startling awake in the early hours, heart racing, still feeling the ground coming up under his feet.

This time, he's had enough. He throws the covers back, pulls on a sweatshirt. It's cold tonight, dream sweats turning clammy.

The place is silent when he slips out of his room, corridors lit at ground level. He knows his way to Dan's office, just off the control centre, isn't surprised at all to find Dan in there. There's a cup of coffee steaming by his elbow but Dan's already sacked out across his desk, head pillowed on folded arms.

Aaron swipes the coffee on his way past.

The control room is mostly empty, just a couple of guys watching the monitors at this time. Aaron's only been up here a couple of times since they first showed him round but the men don't seem surprised to see him.

“Anything interesting?” Aaron asks the one closest to him. The guy looks bored out his skull, so security, rather than scientist, Aaron would wager. That's good, those guys make more sense to him.

A shrug. “They're just sleeping. Same as always.”

Aaron takes a step closer, moving behind the guy's chair. There's a large monitor screen, filled with shots of the sleeping prototypes. Aaron spots Vic, sprawled out on her back; doesn't recognise the rest.

“That all of them?” he asks, trying to get a better look at the others. He needs to have a word with Eric about meeting them all, the time to worry about stepping on the other lads' toes is long gone.

“Yeah. Between you and me mate, they never do anything other than sleep, you're not going to get a show.”

Aaron huffs a laugh, claps the guy on the shoulder. “Lucky them, eh?”

He gets a nod in return.

Aaron takes his time to look around. There are screens everywhere, showing most of the facility standing empty. He can even see his own kitchen, had no idea they were being watched there as well.

“Is there anywhere you guys don't keep track of?” he asks, playing it off like he's joking.

The fella, spins in his chair a bit. “Doesn't feel like it, does it? Nah, there's nothing in your room, mate, don't worry.”

Aaron steps over to the screen showing the quad, it's split into four, each showing a different angle on it, just bare grass right now. He sips at his stolen coffee, gets the lay of the place.

It's not Aaron's first time being under surveillance, he knows a blind spot when he sees one.

“Hey,” Aaron's new mate says suddenly, sitting forward in his chair. “Robert's awake.”

The other bloke across the room hums, tapping at his keyboard.

Aaron steps up to the screens again, scanning until he find Robert's room on the bottom row. Sure enough, Robert's stirring, sitting up in bed.

It's like the ground drops away when Robert looks up, straight down the camera lens, like he knows exactly who's looking back at him.

Aaron's heart is racing.

Robert's lips move but there's no sound coming from anywhere.

“Is the place not miked up?” Aaron asks. “What's he saying?”

He thinks he pulls off the vaguely interested air he was going for because the guys just shrugs. “Nah, what are they gonna say that's worth listening in on?”

Aaron chuckles, nods like the guy's got a point.

Finally. An in.

:::

Aaron and Dan take up their usual positions by the glass for the morning work out, Aaron leading Robert and Debbie through some basic hand to hand moves while Vic stands off to the side with her hands on her hips.

“Vic, you're gonna have to join in,” Aaron calls out.

She folds her arms. “Why?”

Aaron closes his eyes briefly, it's like having a kid sometimes, managing her. “Because it's what we're here for. Robert back me up here.”

Robert grins, arms swinging loose from his shoulders. “You heard the man,” he says. “Come on little girl, come at me.”

Vic glares at him for all of ten seconds before she launches herself at him, teeth in his shoulder.

It makes Aaron wince, slapping a palm on the glass. There's blood seeping through Robert's grey t shirt but doesn't even flinch. He gets a hand around the back of Vic's neck and pulls her back, holds her at arm's length like a naughty cub. His gaze flicks over to Aaron.

“That what you were after?” he asks.

Aaron rolls his eyes. “Not quite.”

It makes Vic laugh, even while she's still basically hanging in Robert's grip. “Come on, Aaron. You're missing all the fun.”

Which is bullshit, but she does have a point.

“I'm going in,” he tells Dan, heading over to the door in the far wall. He'll have to go in the back way.

Dan follows after him immediately, fluttering about. “You can't! What? No. Lieutenant, this hasn't been authorised.”

Aaron pauses. “Dan. Open the door.”

“I can't. There's paperwork, you know-”

“Open the door, Dan.”

It's a good couple of minutes before Dan relents but he does give in eventually. He might not be half Shell but Aaron's plenty intimidating just the same.

Aaron's never actually been on this side of the glass in here. It's odd, like being in a fishbowl, brightly lit, Dan's worried little face slightly magnified by the thick glass.

There's also an electricity in the air, but he figures that's just Robert.

There's rumble to his left; Debbie with her teeth bared, hands in fists. She's never liked being around him much.

Aaron looks to Robert, keeps still because he's not an idiot, Debbie could take him apart with her eyes closed.

There's a smirk on Robert's face but he knows the game by now. “Debs,” he's saying, louder when she doesn't listen. “Debbie. It's Aaron, back up.”

She seems to waver for a second, torn between her instincts and Robert's authority. Between whatever _it's Aaron_ means.

“Don't touch me,” she warns him, moving closer to Vic.

Aaron holds his hands up. “Promise.”

Once she's safely on the other side of Vic, Aaron lets his shoulders relax.

“You can touch me if you like,” Robert says, eyes dancing.

Aaron risks a look over his shoulder to Dan but he doesn't look any different to normal. Maybe he can't hear them properly. Aaron needs to get himself together. It isn't the time for this, he needs to shut it down.

“You're alright, thanks,” he says, stepping around Robert's bulk. “Right, girls. Let's try this again, get your hands up.”

He pointedly ignores Robert slinking around while he walks the girls through some fighting stances, shows them how to move. By the time they're actually listening his knee is throbbing.

He lets himself glance over at Robert, stood beside him while the girls spar. “You're not going to join in?”

Robert smirks. “You think I need fighting tips?”

“I think you need reminding that you're not always going to be the strongest in the room.”

“You don't think so?”

The arrogance is astonishing really. Aaron wishes it was more of a turn-off. “You've never met a real Shell, have you? You have no idea.”

Robert moves in closer, chest brushing against Aaron's shoulder. “Tell me.”

Aaron keeps his eyes on the girls, doesn't trust himself to look up at Robert. “They're pure violence. Empty. They're fearless.”

Robert's nose nudges into Aaron's hair, one big hand spreading heat between Aaron's shoulder blades. “And you don't think I am?”

“Fearless?” Aaron asks in an undertone. “No. I don't think you are.”

Robert's fingers curl, fist pulling tight in the material of Aaron's shirt, knuckles pressing into his spine. “Sounds like wishful thinking to me.”

Aaron's mouth quirks. “You reckon?”

Robert's forehead is pressed to Aaron's temple now. And it doesn't matter than Aaron hasn't taken his eyes off the girls, still scrapping in the middle of the floor, this is still far too intimate for Aaron to deal with. His eyes fall shut. He can't help himself.

“Fear is weakness, isn't it?” Robert asks, stepping back.

Aaron has to shake his head to clear it. “Sometimes. Sometimes it makes you better, keeps you on your toes. Fear's kept me alive this long.”

Robert looks like he doesn't believe that. “And what are you afraid of?”

 _This_ , Aaron thinks, _dying, my mother, never running again. You._

He meets Robert's eyes now, head on. “Everything.”

:::

He collars Ross the next morning.

“What you said? About one of your lot talking about Robert.”

“Liv? Yeah. Did you ask him about it?”

Aaron shakes his head. “Not yet. Not about that. I actually had a better idea.”

Ross looks sceptical but that's sort of his default face whenever Aaron talks to him. “Right?”

Aaron looks around. There's no one listening in but he still knows this doesn't exactly follow the rule book. “Do you reckon you can get me in? To meet her?”

Ross' face goes blank with shock. “They won't like that.”

Aaron shrugs. “Let me worry about that. Yes or no?”

Ross looks like he's thinking about telling Aaron where he can stick it but he must see sense. “They've got quad time in a hour. I'll keep Dan busy.”

Aaron doesn't thank him, just nods.

:::

Aaron figures he's probably got less than ten minutes out by the quad before someone realises he's not supposed to be there. He's going to have to keep this short.

The girls behind the glass look like teenagers, younger than he's ever seen his lot be. They spot him immediately, those eyes tracking him as he moves into view. Aaron can't believe this is who Ross has been charged with training. What the hell are these guys thinking, trying to win a war with children?

None of them hiss at him but the littlest one, the one with pink cheeks and miles of hair is the only one who steps forward.

He takes a chance. “You must be Liv,” he says.

If she's surprised he knows that, it doesn't show. “Hi Aaron.”

He keeps his face still, doesn't let his eyebrows rise the way they want to. “You were expecting me?”

She shrugs, pulling her ponytail over her shoulder, something to hang on to. She doesn't say anything.

“Did Robert tell you I was coming?” He holds his breath, isn't sure he wants to know the answer to that.

Liv cocks her head, looks through him. “No.”

“But you know who Robert is?”

“Of course I do.”

Aaron nods, like this isn't fucking insane. “Of course you do. And how's that?”

She's wavering, he can tell; chewing on her lip and looking just like Vic does when she's wanting Robert to come and save her.

“You can trust me,” he says. “I won't tell anyone.”

She rolls her eyes. “I know that. He's just...he's in my head. He always has been, just this...something. It's nice.”

“Is it?” It sounds like a nightmare. Aaron wishes he couldn't relate.

“You're there too now. The both of you.”

He feels his jaw drop and she laughs. “He didn't tell you?”

:::

“You can't keep doing this,” Eric's saying, pacing back and forth behind his desk. “There are protocols and paperwork, things you can't even hope to understand. You're putting the whole operation at risk.”

Aaron scuffs his feet along the floor, rolls his eyes. “I just went for a look.”

“You talked to one of them!”

“So?”

It doesn't make any sense. Why keep them separated? What are they trying to do? What do they think is going to happen?Aaron is getting so tired of being asked to do a job with people blocking him at every turn. They either want this to work or they don't.

“They're not ready to be merged,” Eric says. “You've seen the way they act in small groups. We can't hope to control them en masse.”

Aaron shakes his head. “This is where you keep missing the point, Doc. You can't control them. You just have to trust me on this, they're ready. They'll listen to Robert and Robert will listen to me.”

Eric doesn't look convinced. “And you know this how?”

He can't tell him what Liv said. Something in his gut just knows that Eric can't be trusted with that sort of information.

“You saw me with him,” Aaron says instead. “He knows I outrank him. Ross' lot know too, that's what I was testing out today. We need to get them all together if we have any hope of this working.”

Eric's rubbing a hands over his mouth. He looks exhausted. “And what about the other boys? Are they expendable? You're going to get killed.”

Aaron shakes his head, frustrated. “Let me talk to Robert. Alone. Let me convince him to show you that we're not in any danger.”

Eric looks at him for a long minute. “You're _sure_?”

“I've never been more sure about anything in my life.”

Another look. “Alright then. I'll let Dan know. But I want to be kept informed about your plans from now on, Lieutenant. No more surprises.”

Aaron nods, doesn't meet his eyes.

:::

Aaron's never been in the quad before. It feels smaller on this side of the glass. It's pretty bare too; grass underfoot, no trees, no breeze inside the walls. There is sky above but it feels further away in here. Aaron had comforted himself with the fact that at least Robert and the girls did get to go outside. He feels like an idiot now. And angry on their behalf.

He pushes it aside, because it doesn't serve a purpose today. There are a lot of things to be angry about, he's got to pick his battles.

Robert looks vaguely surprised when he ducks through the doorway. Glances around like he was expecting someone else.

“We're alone?” he asks.

Aaron nods. “You did good. Managed to convince them you're not going to kill me.”

Robert's teeth glint in the sun. It's more than a little unsettling. “And what about you? Are you convinced?”

Aaron looks at him. Holds that ice blue gaze while his blood runs hot. He's given up trying to find a name for this feeling, it's not like anything he's ever known before. “You know I am,” he says.

Robert's coming closer now, intent. And there's a heat behind his eyes now that has Aaron backing up. That's not why he's here. No matter how much he might want it.

“Wait,” he holds his hands up. Palms out like that could ever stop Robert.

Robert pauses, wavers like it's hurting him. “I can't,” he says, even though he is. He is waiting. Because Aaron told him to.

It's a rush, goes to Aaron's head quicker than the shot of whisky Cain gave him when he got his first mission.

“I need to talk to you.”

That gets him an antsy little head shake, Robert's shoulders tight with tension. “I can't. You smell wrong.”

Aaron fights down the impulse to sniff himself.

Robert moves again, slower this time. Slowly enough that Aaron could get away if he wanted to. Which is the only reason Aaron doesn't.

He pauses in front of Aaron like he did the first time. “Just let me,” he says, only half a request. And then there's a nose dragging up Aaron's throat, hands on his shoulders while Robert nuzzles at him.

It's enough to loosen Aaron's jaw, lips parting; skin buzzing.

Scent marking. That's what he'd thought last time and that's what it is. Robert's marking him.

Aaron's not sure he wants to know what as.

Aaron doesn't move a muscle. What he wants to do, more than anything, is get his hand up in Robert's hair. He wants to hold him against his throat; predator's teeth to his jugular while he get's off on it.

He doesn't know who he was before this.

Eventually, Robert steps back.

Neither of them comment on the shuddering breath Aaron takes, how badly he's shaking.

“Sorry,” Robert says. “Thanks. It's just a...” he trails off.

“Shell thing?” Aaron guesses.

“Maybe? Maybe more of a you thing. I don't know.”

Aaron lets it go. Whatever Robert could smell on him isn't important.

“What did you need to talk about?” Robert asks.

He steps further away, like he knows Aaron needs him to. Aaron doesn't know what that means but it feels important.

“Ross,” Aaron says.

“Liv's Ross?”

“You know Liv?” Aaron asks, just to be sure.

Robert lifts an eyebrow. “Yes Aaron. I know Liv. And Gabby and Belle. And Priya, Finn. I know all of them. And they know you.”

Aaron nods absently, mind reeling. “She said the same thing. Liv,” he clarifies. “I went to see her.”

“Liv doesn't lie very well,” Robert says, like maybe that's a bad thing. “And she knows she can trust you.”

Aaron scrubs a hand through his hair. “But how? I don't understand any of this. How are you, what? Psychicly linked or something? How can you read my mind? What _are_ you?”

“You know what I am,” Robert tells him. “You know as much as I do about all of that.”

He looks lost, Aaron realises, all that front is completely gone. He's just standing there, looking at Aaron like he doesn't see anything else. The same way Aaron's been looking back since he first set eyes on him.

“Robert,” he says. “How does Liv know who I am?”

Robert doesn't look away. “Because you're mine.”

Aaron feels that right the way down to his toes. A truth he didn't want acknowledging. He always has to push.

But he can't deny it.

“Okay. Right, well that still isn't actually what I'm here for.”

Robert looks like he's reeling but he plays along. “Right?”

“When I said Ross, what I meant was, I need to get him in here. Maybe Adam too, I don't know how far Eric will let me push it right off the bat.”

Robert's lip curls. “Ross doesn't like me very much.”

And they both know why that is.

“I don't care,” Aaron says. “I need to get him in here. I need you to show them that you'll do as I say. If I can convince them they're not in danger I think they'll let me get everyone together.” He can tell Robert still needs selling on it as plan. “You'd get to met Liv. And all the rest of them.”

“What about Vic and Debs?”

“Them too.”

Robert inclines his head, muscle jumping in his jaw. “Can I think about it?”

Aaron huffs a laugh. “Not really. No one's getting out of here until you're all working together. So you're going to have to work with me here.”

Robert looks like he's weighing it up. And then he's in close again, forcing Aaron to look up at him. “What's in it for me?”

Aaron flattens his palm against Robert's belly, hidden between them. “Me.”

Robert grins, nose bumping against Aaron's, sharing breath. It's stupid to do this here, some guy up in the control room wondering why they're getting this close. Aaron thinks of that blind spot over by the wall, dismisses the idea. Not yet. Not like this.

“I've already got you,” Robert tells him, forehead rolling across Aaron's own. “I told you, you're mine.”

Aaron swallows, mouth dry. It's causing him physical pain not to tip their mouth's together.

“I'm yours,” he agrees. “This is you best shot at having me.” He curls his fingers, sinks them into the muscle of Robert's stomach hard enough to hurt, watches those eyes catch fire. “Play the game, Robert.”

 


	5. Chapter 5

If Adam is dubious about the idea, Ross is flat out appalled.

“Are you out of your tiny little mind?” he's shouting, pacing the length of Dan's office, arms flapping. “You didn't manage to get yourself killed so you want to finish the rest of us off?”

Aaron suspects Adam is hiding a smirk behind his hand. Dan looks like he'd rather be any where else on earth than involved in all this.

He sighs. “He's not going to do anything.”

“He's a fucking nutter, You can't promise that!”

“He's has got a point there, mate,” Adam interjects, unhelpfully.

Aaron whirls on him. “I thought you were on board.”

“I am, I am. But I've met Robert, yeah? He's not my biggest fan.”

“'cause you tried to have a go on Vic,” Ross says, finally sitting down.

“I did not!” Adam exclaims, “I didn't,” tells Aaron. “He got the wrong end of the stick that's all.”

Aaron doesn't want to know. He hasn't got a leg to stand on in that department anyway. “I don't care. I'm telling you now, I can handle Robert.”

Adam and Ross share a look before Ross rolls his eyes, shoulders slumping. “I'm taking a gun.”

And seriously. Over Aaron's dead body.

:::

Aaron goes to see Liv again in the morning. The other girls, Gabby and Belle, how now knows, are still keeping their distance.

“You again?” she asks.

He nods, takes in the red of her cheeks, the way her mouth turns down. “Me again,” he agrees. “I told Robert I'd check in on you.”

Her head snaps up at that. “Is he alright?”

Aaron shoves his hands in his pockets. “He's fine. He;s having a little meeting with Ross later on. All goes well, you'll be next.”

She doesn't smile the way he though she would, focus drifting over his shoulder, far away look in her eyes. “Ross?” she asks.

“Yeah. That okay?”

She seems to shake herself, glances over her shoulder at the other girls. “Course. Just. Watch yourself, yeah? And Robert?”

Aaron can feel himself frowning but he agrees anyway. The whole thing leaves a bitter taste in his mouth, as if he hasn't got enough to worry about.

:::

“You think this is going to work?” Dan asks Aaron. He glances across the control room to the bank of screens. Adam and Ross are suiting up in one corner, Robert sat stock still on his bed in the other. It's like the preview to a fight and Aaron has no idea which way it's going to go down. He doesn't like not knowing.

He shrugs. “We better hope so, hadn't we? Or your whole operation here is fucked.”

Dan's face flickers. “Just don't get killed, alright?” he says, patting Aaron on the shoulder.

Aaron looks back at the monitors, Adam and Ross shoving at each other like kids. He gives Dan a look. “No promises, Doc.”

:::

Ross looks like he's about ready to shit himself, but he's an army boy through and through, just like Aaron, so he's not moving. Feet planted, jaw tight, none of the nervous energy Adam's putting out. It's not Aaron's first time though, he knows what fear looks like. Hell, he's pretty sure Robert can smell it. Of course, chances are Robert will enjoy them being afraid of him, it might actually work in their favour. So Aaron's keeping his mouth shut.

“I thought it'd feel more like being outside,” Adam comments. He's bouncing on the balls of his feet, making a nuisance of himself.

“You what?”

Aaron ignores Ross, nods at Adam. “I said the same. No wind, weird, innit?”

Adam's nodding back, Ross looking between them like they've lost their minds. It's a nice break in the tension until the door opens, Robert stalking out like he owns the place.

He's got his hackles up, Aaron can see that from here. Senses Adam back up a step. He wishes Ross would do the same but there's no chance of that. Ross isn't going to give Robert an inch.

“Welcoming party,” Robert says. “I'm honoured.”

Aaron rolls his eyes, can't help but feel fond because it's so Robert. So like him to push where there's no give.

“Alright, mate?” Adam calls out. Because he's a moron.

Robert's lip curls. Adam was right, he's definitely not a big fan.

Aaron steps towards him, ignoring the aborted grab for him that Ross makes. He knows what he's doing, him getting close is the only thing likely to calm Robert down. He doesn't like the tightness in Robert's shoulders, doesn't like the way his eyes are flicking back and forth between Adam and Ross.

“Hi,” Aaron says quietly.

Robert doesn't even glance at him, but he's coming closer. Eyes still fixed over Aaron's shoulder as his hand comes up to cup the side of Aaron's neck. His gaze doesn't waver as he leans in to rub his cheek against Aaron's, a sanitized version of his usual hello.

It leaves Aaron feeling bereft. He knows they've got company but his body doesn't care about that. He wants Robert's face all over him, want to be marked up as much as Robert can manage. He curls his fingers around Robert's wrist, grinds the skin over bone. He wants to leave his own mark on Robert too, wants them all to see.

Robert's grin is lazy when he pulls back and his eyes finally focus on Aaron.

“Play nice,” Aaron reminds him. One last squeeze of his fingers before he steps away.

The grin melts into a smirk and Aaron's stomach plummets. Maybe if they can just get through this without blood shed, he'll call it a win.

“Bartons,” Robert greets them. He steps around Aaron, puts his body between them and him. As though Aaron's the one that needs protecting. Aaron resists the urge to roll his eyes.

Adam and Ross are both gaping at them but at least Adam raises a hand half-heartedly in greeting.

Ross' eyes are flinty. “Half-breed,” is what he says. Because if Adam's a moron, Ross always has to do one better.

Robert barks a laugh though, shakes his head. “Still doing that are we? You know where there that road leads.”

Aaron's smart enough to know that's a reference to David. Ross' friend. The one Aaron doesn't want to know anything about.

“What did you just say?” Ross demands, hand going for the empty holster at his hip, floundering when he comes up empty handed.

This is ridiculous. They're not going to get anywhere having some sort of stupid pissing contest. Aaron shoves past Robert so the four of them are standing in some sort of lopsided little square.

“Ross,” he says. “Just leave it, alright? Not today.”

Ross bristles again but he keeps his mouth shut.

“So,” Adam says brightly, ever the optimist now he's realised he's not getting eaten. “It's been a while.”

Robert's head whips round to look at him and Aaron watches Adam's nervous gulp, the apple in his throat bobbing. Watches Robert's patented head tilt, knows exactly what it feels like to be under that gaze.

“Has it?” Robert says.

Adam frowns. “You do remember me, right?” he asks. Jesus, he really _is_ an idiot.

“Of course he does,” Aaron interjects. “Don't you?”

Robert nods. “Of course I do,” he repeats, tonelessly.

Aaron could kick him. There's playing nice and then there's not playing at all.

Adam looks baffled. “Right. So how you been?”

Ross hides a laugh behind his hand. Aaron wishes his life was less ridiculous.

“Can't complain,” Robert says. “You know, imprisoned, forced to make small talk with idiots, what's not to like?” he pauses. “Or do you mean, how's my sister?”

Adam hold his hands up, looks to Aaron for help. Aaron feels just as helpless though. He doesn't know what he was hoping for, maybe this is the best he's going to get for now; no one's dead after all. He's got no clue how they're all going to fight together if they can't even get along though. Another in a long line of reasons why this whole plan is an absolute disaster.

“Robert,” he says, warning. Hopes like hell it's enough to settle him.

“Liv says hi,” Ross announces, suddenly. And it's the way he says it really, mocking, like he means something else. Aaron covers his eyes briefly. For fuck's sake. Ten minutes without a fight and he's getting cocky. Trust Ross.

“Excuse me?”

“Liv,” Ross says again. “You know Liv. My little buddy.”

There's tension singing through Robert's body again already, just at the mention of her. Aaron wants to reach out for him but he can't, not like this.

He settles for shooting a glare at Ross, hissing his name.

“Don't talk about her,” Robert snarls, teeth snapping.

Ross angles his chin. “You're not interested?”

Aaron has no idea what's going on. Liv had seemed shifty when he'd mentioned Ross and Robert meeting, sure, but this doesn't make sense.

“Because she seems very interested in getting me in her cage. Wonder how she'd feel about this.”

It takes Aaron a second too long to understand what Ross is getting at, just long enough for Robert to launch himself at him. He picks Ross up by the front of his armoured vest, slams him bodily back against the glass. Ross' eyes are eyes until his head rocks back, thumping into the glass so hard he looks dazed.

Aaron reacts without thinking, running over to get a hand up between them. He slaps his palm across Robert's mouth, heedless of the bared teeth. He can't let him bite, that can't be how this goes down.

He curls his fingers tight, gets as good a hold on Robert's face as he can and tries to yank him back. Adam's already on his other side, hanging off Robert's arm ineffectually.

Ross looks terrified now and Aaron wishes he could say he gave a shit.

“Robert,” Aaron shouts, pulling. He needs to get his attention somehow. The hand on his face has stilled him but he's not standing down. Aaron has to show them, this is his chance to prove he can keep him in line.

He gets his other hand up into Robert's hair, fists it to tip his head back.

It works to pull Robert's gaze away from Ross but he's still not moving and Aaron and Adam between them aren't strong enough to do it for him.

“Robert,” he says again, still pulling at him. “Back up. Now, I mean it. Back. Up.” He manages to turn Robert's head, furious ice blue trained on him now. He shakes his head firmly, forces as much authority he can muster while he's this terrified into his voice. “Now, Robert. Put him down.”

There's a moment where they all just hang there. Ross is still struggling in Robert's grasp, Adam still shouting and tugging at him, all sense of self preservation gone in the face of a fight. But they might as well not exist for all Aaron cares. He can feel Robert's teeth against his fingers, sharp, wet heat, the humidity on his knuckles from the laboured breaths Robert's huffing through his nose. But he can't look away from his eyes.

He sees the moment Robert comes back to himself, red haze lifting. He shoves away from them all quickly, Ross sliding down into the grass with a wet groan, forgotten.

Robert shakes Aaron hands away. He looks stunned, betrayed.

Aaron makes a move toward him, can't bear that look on his face, but Robert draws away quickly. One final snarl in Ross's direction before he turns and goes, slams back through the door to his quarters.

Aaron doesn't even think about it, his body just reacts. He goes barrelling after him, ignores Adam's shouts that he can't go back there.

This is him and Robert. They can do what they like.

:::

Aaron's never been in Robert's room before. And when he was running down the corridor, frantic, it didn't even occur to him to wonder where it was. He just knew.

Like he knows now, as he slips through the door, leans back against it, that he's playing a dangerous game here.

He waits until his chest has stopped heaving because Robert's not saying anything, he's stood on the far side of the bed, facing the wall, shoulders rising and falling like he can't get his breath back either.

The silence is humming.

Aaron doesn't know how long they've got before someone comes to find him, before he has to go back out there and try to salvage this absolute shit show. He hasn't got time to waste.

“What were you thinking?” he asks, exasperated. “I told you you needed to keep it together.”

He sees Robert shake his head but he doesn't say anything.

“You could have killed him.”

Robert's voice is gravel rough when he speaks. “I should have.”

And that's just. “Robert. You know the score here. You have to-”

“Play the game?” Robert says, finally turning round. His eyes are fierce. “That's what you keep saying, isn't it? And him touching Liv, that's part of the game is it?”

“He hasn't been near her,” Aaron assures him. He'd know, he would.

“Yet.”

“No,” Aaron says, stepping forward. “I promise you, I won't let anything happen to her. You have my word on that.”

Robert scoffs. “You can't promise that.”

But Aaron can, he just knows it. He'd never let anything hurt her. “I just did. Have I lied to you so far?”

Robert's mouth opens, jaw working. He looks torn, lost. “That's not. You don't get it.”

“So explain it to me,” Aaron begs.

Robert looks down at his hands. “I can't.”

There's frustration bubbling in Aaron's belly but it's nothing compared to they way it's making him feel to see Robert broken open like this. He can't stand it.

Robert flinches away when Aaron reaches for him, turns his back again. But Aaron doesn't care. This goes both ways. If he's Robert's then Robert's his. He knows they need this.

He resists the urge to glance toward the camera behind him.

“Robert,” he says, stepping up behind him. Robert's back is tense, arms rock solid when Aaron's curls his hands around them, fingers sinking into stone.

He presses himself up against the sharp planes of Robert's back, fits himself along the curve of his spine. Robert trembles under his touch, so unlike him that Aaron's belly swoops, heat flaring through him. There's a tenderness he doesn't recognise swelling through him, snatching his breath.

Aaron drops his forehead to the back on Robert's neck, fingers biting in tighter Robert's arms. His skin is singing everywhere they touch.

“If this is going to work,” he tells Robert. “You're going to have to trust me.”

“It's not that simple.”

“It never is. But you're not on your own any more, are you? I thought we were in this together.”

The tension eases a little, Robert melting back in to him. “I just need to see her,” he says. “You don't know what it's like. I've never even _seen_ her.”

Aaron doesn't know if the tug in his chest is jealousy or something else. “Why her? What's so special about her?”

He feels Robert shrug. “Something. I'll know when I see her. I know I will.”

Aaron doesn't know if he can still make that happen after today. He doesn't know how any of this is going to go down now. “We'll figure it out,” he says, because he's got nothing else left.

Robert sags in his arms, head dropping forward and Aaron can't help himself. He opens his mouth against the skin of Robert's nape, tongue smearing wet, tasting him for the first time. It's heady, the way Robert shakes, groan punched out him. It's such a simple thing too, but Aaron feels it right through him, want in his finger tips, spreading warmth through him. His head is spinning.

“Don't,” Robert says, when Aaron grazes his skin with his teeth. “I can't-”

Aaron ignores him, bites at him with blunt teeth, worrying the skin back and forth. Robert moans, long and loud, like it's being dragged from his chest.

Aaron wants him. It aches how much he wants him. All that power; still and whimpering under Aaron tongue. It's staggering.

And then the door flies open.

 

 

 


	6. Chapter 6

“What the hell were you thinking?”

Eric’s pacing his office again, face red against the white of his hair, arms flapping. Aaron keeps his gaze fixed firmly on the desk in front of him.

“You could have been killed. _Again._ ”

“But I wasn’t,” Aaron points out. “He was never going to hurt me, we’ve been through this.”

“If we hadn’t come in when we did-“

“Nothing would have happened,” Aaron sits forward. “I don’t get it, I thought this was what you wanted, us to actually be able to work with them. How are you going to get them out in the field if you’re scared of touching them?”

He knows he’s pushing his luck. Eric is well above Aaron’s pay grade and he should be keeping his mouth shut. Not least because he knows exactly what would have happened if security hadn’t burst in and dragged him out the way they did, rifles trained on Robert’s heaving shoulders.

He can still taste him. Sweat and copper fizzing across his tongue. Aaron fights down a shudder at the sense memory of it. He needs to keep his head in the game if he’s going to pull this back.

Eric sighs. “More than anyone, you should know that these things cannot be taken for granted.”

Aaron isn’t even going there. “Doc, you’ve got to trust me here. I’ve been working with Robert for weeks. We have an understanding. He’s not going to hurt me. None of them are. We need to push ahead with this.”

“And what about everyone else? Barton’s still in medical.”

“Barton got what he deserved,” Aaron says. “The boys need a reminder that they’re still part human. They still expect to be treated like people.”

Eric wavers for a second before deflating into his seat. “I don’t like any of this.”

“You and me both, Doc. But you brought me in here to do a job and in case it’s escaped your notice, I’m doing better than anyone else has so far. You gotta work with me here.”

He’s not above begging, not when it comes to this, but he’s hoping he doesn’t have to.

Eric regards him for a long minute, lips pursed. “What are you suggesting?”

Aaron shrugs, tries to look like none of this is any big deal to him, like every molecule in his body isn’t on fire at the thought of getting Robert under his hands again. This is getting out of control.

“I want to get them all together. The prototypes, they want to meet each other.”

Eric’s refusal is immediate, as expected. “Out of the question. You might think you’ve got Robert on a short leash but the others are nowhere near ready. It’ll be a blood bath.”

“Fine. What about Liv? I’ve met her. Let me keep Robert calm and introduce Liv.”

Eric swipes a hands across his face, looks pained. “I’ll take in under consideration Lieutenant. “

Aaron can feel himself being pushed back out of the inner circle. Eric only ever listens to him when he’s floundering. He’s going to have to push this while he’s got the chance.

“And I want unlimited access to my group. I can’t be fighting with Dan every time I want in the cage. I want clearance. That part’s non-negotiable.”

In the end Aaron’s pretty sure Eric only agrees to get him to leave. He looks about ready to throw himself into a pit of Shells already.

He can’t help himself though, fury still bubbling under his skin. Aaron pauses half way out the door, catches Eric’s gaze and holds it steady. “And I want you to have a word with your security boys, Doc. Anybody points a gun at Robert again, I won’t be holding him back this time.”

:::

Adam’s waiting outside Aaron’s room when he finally makes it back. He’s sat on the floor, legs sprawled into the corridor and he scrambles to his feet when he spots Aaron.

Aaron groans. “Can we do this later? I need a shower and to sleep for about a week.”

“Are you alright though? What happened?”

“Nothing, mate. I got Robert calmed down and then Eric hauled me in. It’s all good. Ross is still in one piece, yeah?”

Adam nods, hovering at Aaron’s shoulder while he swipes into his room. “He’ll be fine, yeah. Bit bruised up, probably feels like a tool but no harm done. You’re sure you’re okay? I was hanging off Robert’s arm like a fucking ragdoll, bro. I don’t know what you were thinking going after him like that.”

Aaron toes off his shoes, starts stripping down like he would have done on the base. He hasn’t got time for this but Adam’s a good guy. It’s never gotten Aaron anywhere, turning down friends.

He shrugs. “I don’t know what to tell you, mate. Robert’s not a problem. He wouldn’t have touched Ross if he’d kept his stupid mouth shut. I did warn you both.”

Adam loiters in the doorway. “Is that. Is that what all the touching was about? He was all over you.”

Aaron definitely doesn’t want to talk about this. He drops his hands to his belt, tries to look unaffected. “It’s a scent thing, as far as I can tell. They all do it.”

It makes Adam’s face waver. “You’ve been in with Vic right? Is she like that?”

So that’s what this is about. Still, it’s the perfect deflection. “Yeah.”

Their eyes meet for a long moment before Adam glances away. “So what’s the plan now then?”

“I’m pretty sure I managed to convince Eric to think about merging some of the groups soon. I could probably get you in with the rest of the group, you did well today.”

It’s an olive branch. And they both know exactly what Aaron’s not saying.

Adam nods, wipes at his nose. “Sounds good, mate, yeah,” he raps his knuckles against the door frame. “Sweet. Well I’ll leave you to it then. Glad you’re alright.”

Aaron offers him a smile. “Thanks. You too, yeah?”

He stands there for a moment after the door closes behind Adam, half out of his clothes and restless. He’s had his mouth on Robert now, all that power under his hands. He wants Robert’s mouth on him.

:::

He sleeps poorly. Fitful dreams of ice blue eyes and big hands; teeth and spit and sweat.

He shakes awake in the early hours, body buzzing, cock aching in his shorts.

Robert’s like an itch he can’t seem to scratch out and the need that’s been building in his bones all this time is reaching fever pitch. They can’t go on like this.

:::

Vic’s on him as soon as he’s through the door, hands on his shoulders and face in his neck. Aaron can see Dan shaking his head on the other side of the glass, watches him slope off back to his office. He’d pulled the most hilarious face when Aaron had breezed right past him and swiped himself through the door.

Aaron holds his arms awkwardly at his sides, not totally down with being climbed like a fucking tree. He can see Robert smirking over her shoulder and pats her back helplessly until she subsides.

“Robert said they dragged you away,” she’s saying, lip caught up between her teeth.

Aaron grins at her. “Aw, were you worried about me?”

She thumps him in the stomach hard enough to double him over and only looks regretful when it rumbles a growl free from Robert’s throat. “Sorry,” she says.

Aaron wheezes for a second, waves a hand. “No no, thanks a lot, that’s just what I came here for.”

That gets him Robert, slinking over to bat Vic out of his way, big hand on the back of Aaron’s head. Robert’s face in his neck feels better than Vic’s had, lights sparks into his belly. He feels Robert’s mouth catch against his skin, faintest ghost of a tongue across his flickering pulse. So fast he’s not sure if he missed it.

“What did you come here for then?” Robert asks, eyes dancing.

Aaron can’t help the smile curling his lips. “Got to put you lot through your paces, haven’t I?” he asks, then softens his voice because he can’t help that either. “And I wanted to check on you.”

Robert eyes him, fingers scrubbing through the fine hair at Aaron’s nape, making him shiver. “You don’t need to worry about me,” he says. “I heal pretty fast anyway.”

“Is that supposed to make me feel better?”

Robert shakes his head. “No.”

Aaron wants to kiss him. It’d be so easy. They’re already almost chest to chest, Robert cupping his head in gentle hands. It’d be nothing at all to lean up into him and fit their mouths together. He can feel the want, hanging between them, licks at his lips to watch Robert’s gaze flick down and back up again, watch ice catch fire.

He shakes himself free before he can do something they’ll both regret.

“I had a word about Liv,” he says, stepping away.

Robert raises his eyebrows but doesn’t say anything.

“I’m pretty sure we’re good for getting her in here. Probably just her for now but you know, better than nothing,” he gives Robert a look. “Better than I was expecting after yesterday.”

Robert shrugs. “I’m not apologising.”

Aaron fights an eye roll. Of course he isn’t. When has Robert ever apologised for anything?

“Ross is fine, by the way,” he says. “Since I can tell you’re wondering.”

“Shame.”

That grumble in an undertone is from Debbie, stalking closer to brush her chest against Aaron’s arm, the closest she’s ever gotten to him. She curls sharp nails into the thin material of Aaron’s t shirt, scattering goose bumps down his arms.

Robert snaps his teeth at her, slaps her hands away from Aaron’s back. He spreads his own palm there instead, spanning the width between Aaron’s shoulder blades. It warms him through, makes his pulse spike until he has to step away again.

“Come on then,” Aaron says, clapping his hands together as though that will make him look relaxed. “Let’s get back to it. Hand to hand like last week. I know you guys think you fight better than me but Shells fight dirty and you need to remember how to keep your guard up. Yes, Vic, I’m talking to you.”

He watches Vic and Debbie dive at each other for a while, offers pointers when he can because Vic never watches her six and Debbie doesn’t even know how to hold back when the situation calls for it.

He’s so busy giving them his full attention that he forgets Robert can never be trusted to play fair.

Before he can blink he’s on his back under Robert’s bulk, breath punched out of him. Robert’s heavy, is his first thought, he’s never actually taken his weight before and it feels wrong right the way through him that he’s lived this long without feeling this. This is where he’s supposed to be.

Robert’s vibrating with laughter; mussed up hair and the pink of his tongue where it’s peeking between his teeth.

Aaron wants him so much his head is spinning.

“What are you doing?” he asks, body slumping. Robert’s thigh is riding right where Aaron’s dick is stiffening up in his jeans and he can’t think.

Robert dips down, nose nudging Aaron’s cheek, hot breath on his face. “Fight back.”

Aaron’s stunned for moment, before he gets it. Can’t help the laugh that bubbles up. “Not sure that’s a fair fight,” he says.

Robert pushes back up, lower body driving into Aaron’s. Jesus, he can feel Robert’s erection against his hip, loses his breath on the wave of need it punches through him.

“Try me,” Robert suggests.

Aaron can’t stop himself. He grits his teeth against the kick of pain in his knee and gets his hands up to force his forearm into Robert’s throat. He uses the leverage to push Robert back and finally understands the games when Robert goes easily.

They grapple about on the floor for a while, both of them laughing as they roll.

He comes up on top in the end, astride Robert’s hips and gasping for breath. It puts him right on top of Robert’s dick, the thick heat of his pressing at his arse. It’s not something Aaron has given much thought to before. He’s gotten fucked his fair share of times, army boys aren’t exactly shy about that sort of thing, but the idea of it being Robert to split to him open like that has him reeling.

It must show on his face, in the tightening of his hands on Robert’s shoulders, the hitch in his breathing, because Robert’s eyes cloud over and his hips work once, twice in little rolls under Aaron’s body.

Aaron shakes his head, reaches for control even while it’s slipping away. Dimly, he’s aware that Vic and Debbie are still sparring on the other side of the room but the world has narrowed to this; Robert under him and in him, taking up space Aaron didn’t know he had.

“We can’t,” he says, hears the whine in his own voice. “Robert, please. We-“

Robert cuts him off with a hands on his belly, it slides around from his side where Robert’s been hanging on to him, pushes up under his t shirt where it’s pooled between them as he leans over Robert. That hand, spreading across his skin, thumb dipping behind his belt buckle so close to the straining head of Aaron’s cock, pushing up towards him; it’s too much. He’s never felt anything like this before, it’s burning through him, turning his bones to liquid.

Robert’s other hand comes up, long fingers curving along Aaron’s jaw, thumb set to his bottom lip. Robert hooks it over Aaron’s bottom teeth, pulls him down.

He drops his forehead to Robert’s collarbone, feels the slide of skin on skin between their bodies. He’s dragging air in through his nose, couldn’t stop his hips riding down against Robert if he tried.

Robert tugs him in even tighter, sets blunt teeth just under Aaron’s ear, tongue to his skin for the first time.

He’s going to come, Aaron realises, with a sudden clarity that has him clawing at Robert’s shoulders, mouth open against his chest. He’s going to come and it’s going to turn him inside out, he’s not going to be able to control it.

“Do it,” Robert says against his ear. He sounds just as lost as Aaron is, although Aaron doesn’t see how that’s possible. “Come on, do it.”

Aaron grunts, toes curling. He can’t, it’s too much.

The world spins, Robert rolling them until Aaron’s under him again. It drives his hips harder against Aaron’s cock and that's it, he loses it. Spine snapping rigid as his orgasm rockets through him, waves of it wringing him dry. His vision swims, the stunned o of Robert’s mouth blurring.

He melts afterwards, nothing left in him. He can’t believe he let that happen. Can’t believe that _did_ happen.

Robert’s gentle with him, hands soft as they tilt Aaron’s face up. “Was that…” he lets it hang.

Aaron nods, casts a lazy look toward the glass to reassure himself Dan hasn’t tuned up again to watch him lose it in his jeans from nothing but a hand on his skin.

“I want to kiss you,” Robert says. His eyes are guarded, like he doesn’t know what that means and Aaron can feel where he’s still hard against him.

“I know,” Aaron says. “Me too.”

He almost lets it happen, as if the come cooling in his underwear isn’t bad enough, but reality sets in when Vic shouts in triumph. They look over to find her with her hands in the air, knees on Debbie’s chest.

Aaron has to laugh.

He pushes Robert back, slipping out from under him. Robert doesn’t move when he gets to his feet and Aaron lets himself card a hand through sweaty blond hair, has to close his eyes at the way Robert leans into it.

“Soon,” he promises, looking down at him. “I’ll figure something out.”

Robert’s eyes are bright when Aaron steps away. Full of promise.

 

 

 


	7. Chapter 7

There’s a bruise purpling across Ross’ collarbone and Aaron can see the wince he’s fighting when he shrugs into his shirt from a mile off.

Aaron doesn’t say anything. He knows better than to push the issue. Ross isn’t talking about it so it’s forgotten.

Ross’ eyes are sharp when he catches Aaron looking at him. “What?”

Defensive, annoyed, not worth poking at.

Aaron’s mouth turns down. “Nothing, mate. Liv ready?”

She’s meeting Robert this morning. And maybe the girls if that goes okay. Eric’s trusting Aaron to keep her safe and from the look on Ross’ face, he’s not very impressed about it.

“Ready to get broken in half by that psycho?” Ross scoffs. “Probably not.”

Aaron bites back his knee jerk response to that. Also, to be fair, Robert is a bit of a psycho.

“She’ll be fine,” is what he says. “I’m not going to let anything happen to her.”

“I seem to remember you saying that to me,” Ross points out. “Didn’t really work out that, did it?”

Aaron rolls his eyes, dropping to the bench in middle of the banks of lockers. “Well she’s smarter than you, isn’t she? Stronger, too.”

Ross pulls a face at him, hangs on to the towel he’s got slung round his neck now he’s dressed. “Just bring her back in one piece, yeah?”

Aaron nods, focuses on unlacing his boots until Ross’ footsteps fade away.

Truth is, he has no idea how the meeting with Liv is going to go. Robert’s protection or not, getting within touching distance of a new prototype is never going to something he takes lightly. It doesn’t matter how short she is; he can still remember the terror of that little kid getting the drop on him up north, that stale house on an empty street. The house he left his life in. Until Robert started giving it back to him.

He changes quickly, heads for the gym. He needs to clear his head for this.

:::

Having clearance to stroll through the back rooms of the enclosure will probably never get old.

He knocks briefly on Vic’s door, waits for her shout before he pokes his head in.

She’s standing on her head, legs in the air. Her smile is upside down.

“You all set for today?” he asks.

She pushes up into a handstand, doesn’t even break a sweat. “Robert said he’s going first,” she says.

“Yeah. If he behaves himself I’ll come and get you.”

Vic laughs. “Robert wouldn’t even know how to behave himself.”

“You’ve got a point there,” Aaron nods, leaning in the doorway. He can’t help but smile at her.

She kicks down on to her feet, pops up with her hands on her hips, hair wild. “I’m really happy for you, you know,” she says.

Aaron frowns.

“He’s been waiting for you for a long time,” she tips her head. “We all have. But he knew. I think it was hard for him, not knowing when you were coming.”

Aaron gives her a long look. In a place like this, it’s easy to forget he’s not the only one who cares about Robert.

He nods. “Well, I’m here now.”

She holds his gaze, something that still makes him shudder. It’s difficult seeing those eyes and a cloud of dark hair, brings back memories he buried a long time ago.

He bypasses Debbie’s room when he ducks back into the hallway. She’s tolerating him much better these days but he knows better than to push his luck.

Robert’s on his tiny little single bed, sat up against the wall with a book in his hands. He glances up when Aaron slips through the door, but he doesn’t move.

“You ready?” Aaron asks.

Robert gives him a look.

Aaron rolls his eyes. “Don’t be an arsehole, this is a big deal. And last time we did this didn’t go very well, did it?”

It’s Robert’s turn to huff. “Not this again. Barton deserved worse. I should’ve snapped his neck when I had the chance.”

Aaron sits on the edge of the bed, gets his hand around Robert’s wrist. “Don’t say that.”

He doesn’t say __don’t mean it__ , because he’s not an idiot.

Robert twists his arm away, links their fingers together in the space between their legs instead. It’s still a head rush, touching and being touched like this.

“You don’t need to worry about me,” Robert says, free hand coming up to curl around Aaron’s neck.

Aaron holds still. “That’s easy for you to say.”

That gets him a smirk, the self-satisfied little curl of Robert’s lips. “You’re cute.”

“Fuck off.”

Robert laughs, eyes bright and mouth open. It makes him look like a teenager.

He glances at his watch. “It’s time,” he tells Robert, squeezing his fingers. “Best behaviour. For Vic and Debbie, if not for me.”

Robert rolls his eyes, gets up. “Come on then.”

Aaron looks up the length of him, tries not to breathe him in. It’s getting harder.

:::

It's cold in the quad today, nothing but steel grey clouds and frost. Aaron is used to the cold. In the photographs of before, the sun is always shining, glittering off lakes and dewy grass. It's the not world Aaron knows. Maybe the virus changed the weather, who knows.

"Where is she?" Robert's asking, prowling the perimeter, fingers trailing over the glass.

Aaron stays where he is, lets Robert walk off the tension in his shoulders. "She'll be here," he says.

And as if summoned, the door hisses open behind him.

Liv pauses in the door way, eyes ticking back and forth between them. Aaron's just about to get a hand out, remind Robert to keep his distance, when she leaps at him.

He goes down easy, breath punched out of him. His knee throbs and he's back in that bedroom for a minute, helpless under a little girl with too sharp teeth.

Liv rises over him, bolstered by the fists she's got planted on Aaron's chest. She's grinning, teeth on show but nothing like last time. The world is spinning.

"Hi," Liv says. Her ponytail slithers over her shoulder to slap Aaron in the face.

He wheezes. "What?"

Robert appears in his field of vision. "Right, that's enough," he says, reaching down.

Liv's weight disappears suddenly and Aaron sucks in a breath. She's dangling over him, Robert's hand fisted in the hair at the nape of her neck. He's holding her away while she kicks at him, doesn't look like it's any hardship at all. Aaron wishes he didn't go hot all over every time he's reminded how strong Robert is.

"Put me down," Liv's saying. "I barely touched him."

Robert gives her a shake before he sets her down. "You have to be careful with them," Robert says. "They break easy."

Aaron can't remember the last time he got talked about like some useless little kid but he doubts he liked it much then and he definitely doesn't like it now. He drags himself to his feet and makes a point of not wincing or rolling his shoulder like he wants to.

“I'm fine,” he says, dusting his arse down. “She's just a kid.”

Liv bares her teeth at him again but Robert's still got a hand caught up in her hair and he jerks her back roughly.

“Settle down,” Robert tells her.

Aaron folds his arms. “Remind me again what's so special about her.”

It makes Liv's cheeks flush an angry looking red, her eyes fixed firmly on Robert when he draws her closer. She's tiny, top of her head barely skimming the middle of Robert's chest. It makes something clench in Aaron's belly, watching them together.

It's like Liv finally realises where she is. She's looking at Robert with the kind of awe Aaron's only seen on Vic's face, Debbie makes a point of being entirely unimpressed by him.

“It's actually you,” Liv says and if Aaron didn't know better he'd say there were tears in her voice.

Robert uses the hand in her hair to tip her head back, leans down to rub his cheek against hers. There's a line forming between Robert's eyebrows, the wrinkle of his nose that means he's thinking about something.

Robert holds his free hand out in Aaron's direction, gestures him closer until he can get it around the back of Aaron's neck. Robert pulls him in, until the three of them are stood in a little circle; Liv gazing at Robert and Aaron unable to stop watching her do it.

There's something buzzing between them. Not just the usual hum of heat and want he always feels around Robert, something else. It's settling through Aaron's bones; warmth, comfort. Home. He wants to link his fingers through Robert's in Liv's hair but he doesn't know if he dares.

Robert glances at him, nods. “Do it.”

“What?” Aaron asks, startled.

“Do it.”

He never knows how Robert knows, has given up guessing. So he gives up this as well, there's nothing to be afraid of here.

Her hair is silky soft, sliding through his fingers. He slides his hand over Robert's, feels the grip on the back on his neck tighten in response.

Liv's eyes snap to Aaron's face, mouth open like she has no idea what's happening either.

“She's yours,” Robert says, slowly, like he's still trying to figure it out.

Aaron nods. Not because he understands, but because it feels right. She's his. He's Robert's and Liv's his.

He feels Liv's fingers catch in the hem of his shirt, curl there to hang on. Feels the moment drag.

Robert straightens up in the end, fingers coming down to cradle Liv's chin. “Liv,” he says, voice still wondering. “How would you like to meet my sister?”

:::

Vic and Liv get along just fine. Debbie looks like she's going to pounce, for a second, but a low rumble from the back of Robert's throat settles her well enough.

It's a good thing, Aaron thinks. Everything moving in the right direction.

But he can't seem to take his eyes off Liv.

“She's good, isn't she?” Robert asks, hand smoothing up Aaron's back.

Aaron sinks his teeth into his lip, lets his shoulder rest against Robert's side. “Yeah,” he agrees. Liv's sparring with Vic, already following the basic instructions he gave them. It's looking like she might come out on top, but Vic does have the weight advantage.

“She _is_ yours,” Robert says. “I can smell it, but it's more than that. It just...”

“Feels right?” Aaron asks.

Robert nods. “I don't know how it's possible. It's like there's part of you in her.”

Aaron's starting to worry that he might know exactly how that's possible, but there isn't anything on earth that could get him to consider that any further. Not a chance.

He changes the subject. “Vic said something interesting earlier,” he says, lets himself tease a little bit to lighten the mood.

An eyebrow lifts. “Right?”

Aaron folds his arms across his chest, looks across the grass at where the girls are circling each other, nods. “She said you'd been waiting for me.”

“I told you that.”

“Not the way she said it.”

“And how did she say it?” Robert says, the faintest trace of a growl in his voice.

Aaron meets his eyes. “Like you were, I don't know. Pining or something.”

Robert smirks. “You'd like that wouldn't you?”

They're sort of grinning at each other now, whatever it is between them starting to bubble up. Aaron can't help it when his gaze dips to Robert's mouth, to the pink of his tongue behind his teeth.

“You don't have to pine for me,” Aaron tells him, shaking his head.

“I know that,” and there's something about the way Robert says it. Like he knows Aaron's his for the taking; something about the way his eyes are lit up, they way his hand is still spreading heat between Aaron's shoulder blades. Something about all of it, has Aaron backing up. It's time now. No more waiting.

He moves slowly, doesn't even try to hide his grin when Robert comes after him. Aaron knows exactly where he's headed, doesn't need to look behind him to be sure. He's memorised the spot.

“Liv,” he calls out when his back hits brick, doesn't take his eyes off Robert. He's gaining on him, almost close enough to touch.

“What?” she shouts.

Robert's chest collides with his. “Look busy.”

And then Robert's mouth is on his. _Finally_.

Something in his belly liquifies, want spiking so hard his back bows with it. Robert's mouth is hot, wet inside when Aaron can't help but open his. He gets his hands up around Robert's neck, snugs their bodies together.

The kiss starts out sort of tentative. _Robert's first_ , he thinks.

But he's a quick learner. Robert's body moves against him, thigh slipping between Aaron's and there's nowhere for him to go, pinned against the wall, dick aching in his jeans. The kiss turns into something else, wetter, dirtier, Robert's hands all over Aaron's arms, his hips.

Robert slicks their tongues together until Aaron can't breathe, until everything in him is straining against the weight of Robert's body against his.

“This is insane,” he gasps between kisses. Robert's damp breath on his chin, chest heaving.

Robert shushes him, comes in from a different angle. Kissing harder now, lips bruising up between them. Aaron's eyes are rolling in his head and it's a fight to keep his hips still.

He fists his hands in the material at Robert's shoulders, holds him still so Aaron can kiss him the way he needs to; bodies together, jaw working, breath huffing through his nose. He lets Robert kiss down into his mouth, takes it all.

They only pull apart when Liv shouts out.

Robert's panting as badly as Aaron is, forehead pressed to Aaron's own.

“She won,” Robert says. Because of course he wouldn't need to see it to know that.

Aaron nods, fingers stroking down Robert's jaw. He can't seem to let him go. Even though they've already pushed their luck too far today.

Robert kisses him again, sucking pulls at Aaron's bottom lip. Sweet like sugar and enough to make him jittery.

“Is it always like this?” Robert asks, nose nudging Aaron's.

Aaron lets their lips drag together when he speaks, can't help himself. “No.”

He's never felt anything like this before.

:::

He’s bone tired, still lit up inside from finally getting Robert’s mouth on his, spent all afternoon coaching the girls through fight after fight. Even managed to get Robert to take on Debbie in the end, even if that did get a bit bloody.

He wants nothing more than to fall in to bed and sleep the evening away. Maybe a hot shower first and some alone time with his right hand and the memory of Robert all over him.

He stumbles still when he opens the door to his room.

She’s sitting on his bed, legs neatly crossed, perfectly manicured fingernails tapping absently at the tablet in her lap. Sharp edges and dark eyelashes.

She looks completely out of place and Aaron’s heart plummets to his stomach.

 

 


	8. Chapter 8

The door clicks shut behind him softly, blanketing them in silence. Aaron leans back against it for lack of anything better to do. Not because the earth has dropped out from under him.

Chrissie White's steely gaze sweeps over him. Aaron hopes like hell his mouth doesn't look as kiss-bruised as it feels. He can still feel every place Robert had his mouth on him, can't imagine how it wouldn't be as obvious to everyone else.

“Aaron,” she says, an unusual greeting from someone of her pay grade. Aaron knows what that means, he's been around the block enough times to recognise a charm offensive when he sees one. She's here for a favour.

He nods at her. “Ms White. What can I do for you?”

She pauses then, hand hovering over her tablet screen, shoulders tight. “You'd rather we skipped the pleasantries?”

Aaron shrugs. “I figure you're not here to blow smoke up my arse about what a good job I'm doing, so,” he tips his head.

“Dr Pollard does speak very highly of you,” she says.

“Of course he does. I'm making him look good.”

That stutters a laugh out of her, creases the lines of her face. It makes her look softer, but not soft.

Aaron shoves his hands in his pockets, flaps his elbows. “So why are you here, Ms White?”

“You're familiar with the situation in Emmerdale?”

Aaron knows his Uncle Cain had wanted it blown off the map, knows he hadn't won that argument. Last Aaron heard it'd been deserted completely. Not even the military patrols there any more.

He shrugs. “Some.”

Chrissie looks away. “There's a medical facility there. A warehouse my father set up before the fifth wave,” she glances up at him. “I need the supplies it houses.”

Aaron feels his mouth drop open. “You want me to go an a supply run for you? Haven't you got about a thousand other people you could pay to do that?”

She shakes her head, the line of her jaw is so tight it looks brittle. “The Shell activity in Emmerdale is still off the charts. No one's come back alive.”

“So you're volunteering me for your next suicide mission? Thanks a lot.”

“I'm volunteering your team.”

Aaron gets it then, what she's getting at, what she means. He wonders if she can tell from his face that his heart just stopped. “What?”

She stands up, dark shadows in the hollows of her cheeks. She looks tired, Aaron thinks, nothing like the put together woman he met at head office. She's hugging her tablet to her chest.

“You and your Shells. Whatever you need, I will make sure you have, but this has to happen now. We're running out of time.”

“What? What's so important about these supplies?” Aaron doesn't get it. They've ploughed god knows how much money into this program and she wants to risk her investment to collect some pills? It's insane.

“You don't need to worry about that. You'll be provided a list of everything I need. You get in and you get out, nothing you haven't done before.”

“You realise none of the prototypes have ever encountered a full Shell before? We don't actually know if they're any sort of match for them.”

Chrissie nods. “It's a risk we're going to have to take. You're welcome to take as much back up as you need.”

There's no getting out of this. It's not a request, it never was. Aaron's military and she knows it. He was raised to take orders.

Of course, there's a reason he's not actually military any more.

“I'm not exactly war zone fit myself,” he reminds her grudgingly, watches her gaze flick down to his knee.

She waves a hand. “It's a short term mission,” she says. “We can take care of that.”

He's out of excuses.

:::

Adam and Ross look about as floored as Aaron had felt.

“They're not going to want me there,” Ross points out, perfectly reasonably.

Aaron sighs. “No, they're not. But I don't trust anyone other than you two to handle yourselves out there. We've got zero intel of how many Shells we're talking about.”

“I can tell you how many we're taking with us,” Ross says.

“That's not-” Aaron bites his tongue. He doesn't want to get into this argument again. “They're on our side.”

“Are they?” Adam asks, brow creased, and then off Aaron's look, “Sorry mate, but do we actually know that?”

“Yes. You're going to have to take my word for it.”

The pair of them share a look but it's Adam who speaks. “We're going to end up dead.”

Aaron nods. “Probably.”

Ross scrubs a hand over his face, paces over to the window. “They can fight,” he says. “You said they can fight. And we all know _we_ can.”

“Yeah,” Aaron agrees. “That's the idea. Look, I can't tell you what's going to happen when they have to go up against a real Shell. But they're our best bet.”

“They're our only bet,” Adam says, mournfully.

He's not wrong. It doesn't matter how good they are at their jobs, if Robert and the girls can't hold up their end of the bargain, they're all fucked.

“Right. So I'm warning you now, you treat them with respect, you treat them the same way you'd treat any one else who's got your six,” he fixes Ross with a warning glare. “And you do _not_ point your gun at Robert.”

Ross rolls his eyes. “And if he tries to rip my head off again?”

“If that happens we're all as good as dead anyway, so you might as well let him.”

:::

They spend the rest of the morning loading up the truck Chrissie White had them delivered. It's like going back in time stocking up for a run. If Aaron shuts his eyes he can smell wet earth, hear Cain barking orders at the new boys. The weapons here are newer, all the latest tech that doesn't filter down to the boots on the ground for months. Better food too.

Adam makes a joke about saving all the good stuff for the people who don't need it. Aaron feels him on a deep level.

“Have you seen a Shell since, you know?” Ross asks, nodding to Aaron's leg.

He shakes his head, wipes his forehead off on his sleeve. “Nah. You?”

He doesn't look at Ross' shoulder, but he knows Ross is booked in for whatever treatment Chrissie's set up too.

Ross heaves himself up to sit in the open back of the truck, legs swinging. “No. Got pulled out here right out of medical. Training's training though right? Like riding a bike?”

Aaron knows what he's getting at. Would be a liar if he said he wasn't a little bit worried he's lost his edge since the last time he was out in the field. Ross is right though; training is training. And they were trained by the best.

Aaron claps him on his good shoulder. “Like riding a bike,” he agrees.

Ross' smile is lopsided. “You ever learn to ride a bike, Dingle?”

“Never.”

They share a look, gallows humour bubbling at the edge of their grins. There's no way they've lost it. They can't have done.

:::

Aaron gathers them in the quad to break the news.

Predictably, Vic looks terrified, Debbie looks like nothing at all, and Robert looks like it's the best thing that's ever happened to him.

“I told you he'd get us out,” Robert says to Debbie, knocking her back a step with a sharp elbow to her ribs.

Aaron holds up his hands. “It's just for a few days,” he says. “Think of it as a practise run.”

“But we've never actually met a Shell,” Vic says, wringing her hands. “This is a bad idea.”

Robert takes her chin in his fingers, gives her a shake. “We _are_ Shells,” he reminds her. “Better than.”

“I don't fight as well as you do.” She's worrying her lip between her teeth.

“I'll be right there with you,” Robert tells her. “And so will Aaron, right?”

Aaron meets his eyes. “Right. And Adam and Ross. You'll have all the back up you need. You can do this.”

Robert's teeth snap together. “Ross?”

Aaron can see Debbie bristling as well. He needs to put a stop to this now. “I know,” he says. “Alright? I know you don't like him. But he's good at his job and we need him for this,” he lets Robert hear the steel in his voice. “He's promised to play nice, so you'd better too. We start turning on ourselves out there, we're all dead.”

Robert eyes him for a long moment. “And Liv?”

“What about her?”

Robert steps away from Vic. “We can't leave her here.”

Honestly, Aaron hadn't even thought about it. She's nowhere near ready to be out there. He tells Robert as much.

“She'll be fine,” Robert folds his arms. “We're not going without her.”

Aaron wants to go to him, wants to smooth that tension out of Robert's shoulders, fit himself against the curve of Robert's side. Wants to know if Robert will bend as easily as Aaron can feel himself doing.

“I'll see what I can do,” is what he says. Because the mission has to be his focus right now.

:::

He goes over Eric's head, straight to Chrissie White to get Liv added to the mission, tells her she's necessary to the team.

Chrissie couldn't care less who she's signing up to face the firing squad. Pollard is pissed.

He's not saying anything about it, because he knows he doesn't have a say about any of it any more. But Aaron can tell from the way he's handling Aaron's knee that he's fucking furious.

“None of this was my idea you know,” Aaron tells him, half out of his trousers on a treatment table.

Eric's prepping needles and muttering to himself. “I'm aware of that. I'm also aware that you have a little sway with the prototypes. Olivia has not been trained for this.”

Aaron rolls his eyes. “I'm aware of that,” he parrots back to him. “It was Liv or none of them. Robert wouldn't have budged.”

Eric meets his eyes, fingers cold on the meat of Aaron's thigh. “I'm sure you could have talked him round.”

It's the closest Eric has ever come to suggesting anything like that. Aaron doesn't like it at all.

“I couldn't.”

Aaron grits his teeth against the first injection, fingers curling around the end of the table. He puffs out a breath. “So do you have any idea what's so urgent about this run anyway?” he asks. “Why is it important enough to risk all of this?”

Eric shakes his head. “That's on a need to know basis as well, apparently.”

They don't talk again until Eric's finished punishing him and Aaron's knee is completely numb, pain free for the first time in months.

“You can walk on it,” Eric tells him. “It'll feel odd for a few hours yet but then you should be good to go.”

“How long for?”

Eric pulls a face. “A few days? Four at most. There's spare vials in your pack should you need them.”

“I'm no doctor, Doc.”

“It's a needle, point and shoot. I'm sure you can figure it out.”

Aaron drags his dead leg over to the door, Pauses there even though he's been dismissed. “For what it's worth,” he says. “I've no intention of letting any of them get hurt.”

Eric's face is carefully blank. “You'd better hope they'd say the same.”

:::

Robert crowds him back against the door as soon as Aaron slips through it; face in his neck and hands hovering over his arms. “What's happened?” Robert's asking. He looks frantic.

Aaron puts a hand on his chest, feels the heartbeat there. It's like his skin finally fits right, now they're alone together. The buzzing in his head has gone quiet.

“Nothing,” he says. “Nothing, I'm fine.”

Robert pulls back to search Aaron's face. “You smell wrong. Sick.”

Aaron has to bite back a smile. “I'm fine. They've given me some injections for my knee,” he nudges Robert. “Got to be able to keep up with you out there, don't I?”

“But you're okay?”

Aaron nods, pushes him back so they can both sit comfortably on Robert's bed. “Definitely okay. Promise.”

Robert doesn't look convinced, so Aaron drags his hand down, spreads Robert's palm across his still-numb knee. “You need to stop worrying about me, if we're going to get through this mission alive.”

Robert gives him a look. “I seem to remember you telling me that was easier said than done, once.”

“I mean it.”

“So do I.”

Aaron shakes his head. It's difficult to feel anything other than impossible fond of Robert when he's being soft like this. Even if he does know what's always lurking under the surface.

“Liv's on board,” he tells him, to change the subject.

Robert nods. “I know.”

It huffs a laugh out of Aaron. “Of course you do.” Why wouldn't he?

“When do we leave?”

“First light,” Aaron says. “I only came by to make sure you're all alright. I know none of this is ideal, but if we stick together, we can probably make it work.”

Robert's grin is slow to appear, and teasing when it does. “You don't sound very sure of yourself, army boy.”

Aaron kicks him, can't help himself. “It's going to be rough out there,” he says, honestly.

Robert nods, smile sobering. “At least we'll be free.”

And there is that, isn't there? But at what cost?

Aaron gets to get his feet. Lets his fingers trace Robert's brow, down along the sharp curve of his jaw. “We should get some sleep. Busy day tomorrow.”

Robert's eyes flicker across Aaron's face, make his cheeks heat. “I want to kiss you goodnight,” Robert says, blue gaze flicking to the camera Aaron knows is over his shoulder.

Aaron nods, tongue flicking out to wet his lips even though he knows it's cruel. He lets his finger tips graze Robert's bottom lip, a ghost of the kiss he wants to press there.

Robert's hand comes up, fingers curing around Aaron's wrist. “I'm getting tired of going to sleep without you.”

Aaron has to close his eyes. There isn't room inside his chest for the things Robert makes him feel.

“One more night,” Aaron tells him. “Just one more night.”

 


	9. Chapter 9

They roll out at first light, Ross in the driver's seat, gunning the engine. Aaron can see the outline of Eric as they drive away, arms folded across his chest. He didn't think he'd ever see the day when he was hoping he'd get another look at that wanker.

It takes them a while to make it out of the grounds of the complex, there are three chain link fences to make it past, armed guards posted at each. It's the first time Aaron's ever gotten an idea of the sheer scale of the place. There must be masses of it he's never even set foot in.

“How far out are we?” Adam asks when they make it to the road.

Aaron leans over the front seat between him and Ross. “Not far, depending on how well the roads have held up out there. But we're heading north first instead.”

It's a plan he and Ross had come up with the night before. Nothing the higher ups would approve but walking into Shell territory with half a team who have never shot a gun is the stupidest goddamn thing Aaron has ever heard of. An extra day for some training isn't going to hurt anyone.

Adam takes the change of plan in his stride, because it's not his first mission. “So, up in the hills?”

Ross nods, hands relaxed on the wheel. “That's the plan, find a field, set up camp. Maybe we'll get lucky and find some sheep to shoot.”

Aaron rolls his eyes but he can't help but grin along. He can see the countryside stretching out ahead of them; rolling hills, green like you rarely see these days. Even those little stone walls Aaron's mum used to tell him were put there by God. Even with the cloud hanging low, he hasn't felt free like this for months.

The thought makes him glance back into the bed of the truck. Vic, Liv and Debbie are plastered against the doors at the back, jostling for position at the tiny window there. Robert shares an amused look with Aaron when he catches him watching.

“First time outside,” he says, like Aaron needs reminding.

Aaron nods, feeling inexplicably fond that Robert is letting them look their fill when it must be killing him. He gestures him up to the front instead. “You want to see?”

Robert pulls a face like he could take or leave the offer, but he's up against Aaron's side before he can blink, nose dragging through Aaron's hair to make him shiver.

Watching Robert's mouth drop open when he gets his first look at the horizon is almost enough to make this suicide mission worth it.

“Big,” Robert comments.

Aaron nods, hand curling over Robert's knee as they kneel together behind the bench seat. “Yeah.”

It must be another thirty minutes or so of driving, eyes flickering between the road and Robert's hair fluttering in the breeze from Adam's cracked window, when Robert's head suddenly snaps to the right. The snarl that rumbles free from his chest isn't like anything Aaron's ever heard before and he goes for the gun on his hip instinctively.

“Can you settle your guard dog down?” Ross asks. “He's putting me off my driving.”

Aaron's about the snipe back at him when they see her; coming over the hill. She's alone, clothes in rags and the fact that they're in a fucking truck doesn't seem to be slowing her down any. Jesus. Aaron hates the dumb ones.

Ross hums when he catches sight of her. “Huh. That could come in pretty handy.”

Aaron's mind is racing. If Robert can sense Shells from that far off, there's got to be a way they can use it.

Robert's restless beside him and he can feel the heat of the girls moving up to the front of the truck to get a look. There's hand on his shoulder, tight enough to bruise.

Adam raises the rifle laid across his lap and taps it on the window. “Your first Shell, guys. What do you think?”

“It smells wrong,” Debbie says, leaning over Aaron's head to see.

Ross snorts. “There's nothing about em that isn't wrong.”

Robert's head is cocked, eyes deadly, tracking her moving closer through the long grass. “Kill it,” he says.

Adam glances back at Aaron, who shrugs. Why not? It's not going to do anyone any favours wandering around out here.

Adam takes a second to lower the window and steady himself while the truck's still bumping along. He pumps two rounds into her forehead, splatter of red and she drops out of sight.

Robert pulls a face, like he can't decide how satisfying that was. “That was easy.”

:::

The others are taking their first gulping breaths of fresh air while Aaron helps Ross and Adam unload the gear.

He can see Robert, arms around Vic and Debbie’s shoulders, face tipped up into the mist. It makes him wish the sun was shining. He wants to see Robert in sunlight.

“Get started on camp,” Aaron says. “I’ll double check everything for tomorrow. We need to go through the ammo again.”

Ross nods, dusting his hands clean on his thighs. “We need a fire?”

Adam’s mouth twists. “Could be risky out here.”

“Better to see em coming,” Aaron points out. It’ll be pitch dark by nightfall and given the state of the sky, he wouldn’t put much stake in any moonlight.

“I’ll take a couple of the girls to collect fire wood,” Adam offers. Aaron shares a smirk with Ross when he turns away. Course he will.

Aaron busies himself with stacks of meticulously organised bullets while everyone else moves down the field, away from the truck.

Robert’s hands curling around the wings of his hip bones isn’t a surprise, but Aaron stiffens anyway. Robert’s a line of heat along the length of his spine and it would be so easy to sink back into him.

He shrugs away to turn around instead, watches Robert biting down on a smile.

“Tell me one of those is for us,” Robert says, nodding at Ross laying out the ground sheets for three tents, over by the shelter of a wall.

Aaron folds his arms, ignores the fizz of promise in his belly. “Of course it is. You don’t think either of those two is going to volunteer to sleep near you, do you?”

“Under me,” Robert counters. And he’s not biting back the grin any more.

Aaron shakes his head. “We’re on a mission. In the field. You have no idea what could happen if I let my guard down for a second.”

Robert seems to weigh that for a second. And then Aaron’s being dragged around the side of the truck. Big hands on his thighs, back slamming against metal as Robert hauls him up, fits his body between Aaron’s legs to hold him there. There’s a shout pushing at Aaron’s teeth, nothing but training and trust to keep him quiet.

“What the fuck are you doing?” he hisses. As though he doesn’t know, as though his head isn’t swimming.

Robert’s breath is hot on the skin of Aaron’s face, and Aaron knows he’s lost.

“Tell me to stop,” Robert says, nothing but a gust of air, mouth hovering just out of reach.

Aaron eyes him, the red of his lips, blond lashes splayed against freckled cheeks when he blinks. All that power, all that control, right up against him.

The only place he wants to be right now is under Robert. And they both know it.

Aaron lets himself melt a little, but he doesn’t drag Robert in for the kiss he’s aching for. “I’ll think about it. After you show me you can shoot a gun better than I can.”

Robert’s grin spreads, teeth on show. “Now we’re talking.”

Aaron gets a hand in the thick hair at the back of Robert's head, uses it to tip his head back, throat pulled taut. It makes Robert's teeth sink into his bottom lip and Aaron can't help but flick his tongue across the lump of his Adam's apple to feel the rattle of his groan. He works his way back up to Robert's ear in a series of lick and bites, sucks a wet kiss to the sharp corner of his jaw. He's grinning when he gets his mouth by Robert's ear. “Put me down.”

Robert's fingers tighten at first, biting into the curve of Aaron's arse, surprised, before he lets Aaron slide down the length of his body to get his feet back on the ground. He steps in again though, presses Aaron back against the truck, and his fingers come up to cradle Aaron's chin so he can steal the kiss Aaron wasn't giving him.

It's soft, dry, still enough to have Aaron's blood rushing, that familiar ache spreading through him. How is he supposed to resist this? He's losing his fucking mind.

He's still blinking, dazed, when Robert steps away, and it's only the sight of Adam standing by the truck door with his mouth dropped open that crashes reality back through him.

Robert doesn't even pause, just keep walking, takes the opportunity to knock Adam half on his arse by knocking their shoulders together as he passes because he's an absolute arsehole.

“Mate,” Adam says, barely more than a breath.

Aaron shakes his head. “Don't.”

“I'm not going to tell anyone,” Adam says, like he's insulted. Like he'd have a leg to stand on anyway, everyone sees how he looks at Vic.

“There's nothing to tell.”

That gets him an eye roll and a shove to his own shoulder as Adam turns back to the stock pile of ammo Aaron was supposed to be checking. “You sure that's how you want to play this?” he asks.

And if it sounded like he was judging, if he'd asked any other question, Aaron would probably have ignored him. As it is, he scrubs his hands over him face and sags back against the truck. “What do you want me to say?”

Adam gives him a look. “That you know what you're doing? That you've got this under control?”

Aaron laughs, a harsh exhale. “Sorry, bro. No can do.”

Adam nods and Aaron can see him looking down the field to where Vic and Liv are cartwheeling through the grass like children. “This is so fucked up.”

“Tell me about it.”

He lets Adam sling an arm around his shoulders, gives him a few minutes of camaraderie before he shrugs him away. Adam's a good guy, but he hasn't got a fucking clue.

:::

Robert and the girls handle the guns about as well as can be expected. In that their aim is for shit but they learn fast.

By the time the sun starts to drop, Adam's got a decent fire going and Aaron and Ross are mostly convinced Robert and Liv could put a Shell down if push came to shove. Vic's lucky she can run fast.

Aaron ignores Robert as much as possible through dinner, sits with Liv instead and lets her snuggle into his side for warmth.

“Bagsy not on first watch,” Ross calls out when Debbie starts making noises about getting sleepy.

Adam barks a laugh. “Get some sleep, losers, I think I can handle lookout.”

Aaron would like the think he imagines the look Adam gives him, but he doubts he's that lucky.

“I'll sit up with you, if you like,” Vic offers.

Aaron's not enough of a grown up to resist the opportunity to give Adam a look right back. But he is a good enough friend that he hustles Robert into their tent before he can mouth off about it.

“She's my sister,” Robert hisses while Aaron zips them inside.

“They're on watch,” Aaron tells him. “They're not going to do anything.”

But he freezes, up on his knees when he realises what's going on. They're finally alone, no one watching them for the first time since they met. And Robert's sprawled across their sleeping bags, keeping his hands to himself.

Aaron can't help but grin. “You're nervous,” he says.

Robert rolls his eyes.

Aaron shuffles closer, close enough for Robert to grab him round the waist and roll himself on top. He rises over Aaron on his elbows, hips forcing Aaron's thighs apart.

“Shut up,” he says, dropping down to press their mouths together. It'd be easy to get lost in it. Just having Robert this close has always ruined Aaron. But something's not right.

He gets his hands up between them, rubs his palms across Robert's chest to curl them over the balls of is shoulders. “What is it?” he asks, done teasing. “What's wrong?”

Robert shakes his head. His face is almost all shadows, the glow of the fire outside barely enough to see him by. “I don't,” he huffs, irritated. “I don't want to hurt you.”

Aaron wants to smile but he doesn't. “You wont.”

“You don't know that. You have no idea what I'm capable of.”

Aaron does smile then, the fond one he saves for Robert. He cups Robert's face between his hands, lets his knees ride against Robert's ribs and opens himself up. “Robert. There isn't anything you could do to me that I wouldn't want.”

It makes him feel powerful, the way Robert stills, the way Aaron can feel his breath catch. “Nothing?”

Aaron sighs, desire warring with the very real danger of the situation they're in. “I want you,” he says. “You know I do. But I can't afford to put us in any more danger here.”

Robert's eyes are dangerous now, mouth dragging up Aaron's throat. “Meaning?”

It's a fight to keep his eyes open. “Meaning you can have me. You _do_ have me. But we need to be careful.”

Robert gets a hand down between them, curves it over Aaron's cock where it's already hard and pushing at the material of his trousers. He teases at Aaron's mouth with the tip of is tongue, dipping inside to taste. “Fuck careful.”

Afterwards, Aaron wont remember how they wrestled their way out of their clothes, all he remembers is the feeling of Robert, miles of bare, unblemished skin, glowing silver in the dark and sliding against him. The feeling of their bodies being in contact, skin on skin. He lies there for long minutes, lets Robert kiss down into him and just breathes; feels the press and drag of Robert's belly against his own, the heft of his cock against Aaron's thigh, the weight of him. All the little sounds he makes, and the heat of his breath through his nose, the groan that slips free when Aaron can't keep his hips still any more. He soaks it all in, because this is what his body has been craving. Robert. As close as Aaron can get him.

They need to keep quiet but it's almost impossible when Robert ducks down, blunt teeth dragging across Aaron's collar bone. It takes everything in him not to bare his throat. And what does that say about him? That his dick's fucking leaking at the thought of spreading himself out like this under Robert. Robert moves over him like a goddamn animal, Aaron can feel the shift of muscle in his back, can't seem to keep his hands still when there's so much of Robert to map.

Aaron's so lost in the feel of them moving together that the wet heat of Robert's tongue dragging up the underside of his dick is almost a surprise. It tips his head back, back bowing and he barely manages to bite down on the moan that tries to break free.

He sinks his hands into Robert's hair when his mouth opens over the head of Aaron's cock. Robert takes him in with little bobs of his head, letting Aaron sink into the heat of his mouth. It's mind blowing, to be inside Robert; predators teeth grazing just the right side of too much.

"Robert. God. Please," he's muttering under his breath, losing his fucking mind because nothing has ever felt like this. He's burning up from the inside.

Robert pulls off with a long, wet sound; big hands up the inside of Aaron's thighs to spread him open. "Is this?"

If Robert asks if it's good, Aaron is going to scream.

"Please," is what he gasps out instead. Because he's aching. He needs this.

Robert shakes his head, sucks bruises into Aaron's inner thighs, where the skin is thin and delicate. And then his hands are pushing Aaron's legs up, holding him open to get his mouth on Aaron's arse.

Robert licks him open with the flat of his tongue. Keeps going until Aaron's spine has turned to liquid and he's got his fist bitten between his teeth the keep quiet. He wants to ask Robert how he knows what he's doing but he can't seem to make his mouth work. The static that always buzzes between them is short circuiting his brain.

He floating by the time Robert rises over him again, and his cock is throbbing between them, in time with his heartbeat.

Robert slides against him, brushes Aaron's sweaty hair back off his forehead. They breathe together for a moment.

Aaron works his jaw but no sound comes out.

“Look at you,” Robert says, he sounds as wrecked as Aaron feels. “You have no idea.”

Aaron ignores him, angles his head up for a kiss, the taste of himself melting back into the taste of Robert. He's addicted already, can't seem to get close enough.

“Robert,” he says, finding his voice. “Now. Come on.”

Robert stills. Aaron can feel Robert's dick pressing against him. He's hard. He's got to be aching the same way Aaron is.

But Robert's just hovering over him, icy eyes and red lips. Aaron tries to catch his breath. "Robert?"

Robert leans down, forehead pressed to Aaron's. He's panting, as out of breath as Aaron's ever seen him, just from this, from taking Aaron apart with teeth and tongue. “What is this?”

Aaron swallows, licks at his dry lips. This isn't chemistry. This isn't sex. He doesn't have a word for what this is. He doesn't know if there is one.

“I don’t know. It's just us.”

Robert kisses him, gentle lips and enough tongue to steal Aaron's breath again. “What do you want?” he asks.

“You. Everything.” What he means is that he needs Robert in him. That's he's aching and empty, sloppy wet from Robert mouth and he's never felt like this before. He's never craved it like this. He wants Robert inside him. Something in his belly is crawling with it, needy and desperate. He thinks he'd beg Robert, if he asked.

He doesn't say any of that. Doesn't need to. Robert knows.

There's oil in his backpack, for the guns. Not ideal but Aaron's made do with worse.

Robert doesn't mess around. Neither of them has the patience to wait any longer, and Aaron pushes and shoves until he has Robert right where he wants him; wrapped up in Aaron's arms and legs, hips hitching as he pressed inside.

Aaron can't keep the long, aching groan that eases from his lips inside. Hopes like hell no one is listening to this.

Robert looks lost above him, eyes open but glazed, like he's somewhere else. His mouth is hanging open, bottom lip perfect for Aaron to suck at.

Aaron scrubs his hands up Robert'd back and into his hair, draws him back to earth. “You still with me?”

Robert nods. He tucks his face into Aaron's neck, huffing breath, and starts to move.

It's like the bottom drops out of the world. It's all Aaron can do to hold on, try not to come. Bodies sweating and rocking together. Robert finds a rhythm and sticks with it. Until Aaron can't feel his feet, isn't sure he remembers his own name.

He drags Robert's mouth up to meet his when he feels it start to fizz. The long, perfect stroke of Robert's dick inside him has him unravelling. He's losing it and he doesn't even care; the world is burning.

It wells up inside him like a tidal wave, crashes through every last bit of resistance he has left, until he feels like Robert can see inside him, like he _is_ inside him, more than this. He sinks his teeth into Robert's shoulder when he comes, can't stop himself, and it's enough to tip Robert over the edge as well.

They heave together for a while, shellshocked and shaking. Aaron hands are trembling where they're cradling Robert's jaw. It feels like his whole body is trembling with the aftershocks, Robert's too.

He doesn't know how he survived that.

:::

Aaron comes to to daylight, filtered hazy through the green of the tent. Robert's still sacked out, sprawled across Aaron's chest.

Aaron wriggles his toes, tries to decide if he feels any different and then makes a face at himself for being such a moron. They had sex, hardly a big deal.

Except his body is aching. And he's pretty sure they were one person there for a second, not two.

He looks down at Robert, lets himself card a hand through the mess of his hair, lets the tender, aching feeling behind his ribs spread through him.

 _I love you_ , he thinks. _I love you so much I can't breathe. So much it terrifies me._

When Robert blinks awake a while later, gives Aaron a sleepy smile, the boyish one that looks wrong and right in equal measure, Aaron smiles back. Drops a kiss to Robert's bruised lips.

He doesn't say anything.

:::

Emmerdale looks better than Aaron was expecting, considering. Most of the buildings are still in tact, choked in ivy. There's grass growing through the cracks in the road but there is still a road through the middle of the place. They're going to get further in the truck than Aaron had thought and that can only be a good thing.

Robert and girls are rumbling beside him, teeth on show. Aaron can't say he blames them.

They passed at least thirty Shells on their way into the village and they're following the truck, joined by others as they pass cottages and a pub with half its roof missing.

He can see the warehouse up ahead.

“We're going to have to get across that field on foot,” Adam says, fires off a round between words to put a Shell down who's getting a little too close for comfort.

Aaron nods, trying to get the lay of the land. “Uphill, doable if they're all coming from behind.”

“Not a chance there aren't more up there,” Ross says.

Aaron knows he's right. He's dealt with worse, he's seen bigger gatherings of Shells than this. But he's never been without enough back up before.

He turns to the others as Ross steers the truck through as much of the overgrown grass as he can. “They're going to be on us as soon as we're out of the truck,” he says. “You're going to run. If they get too close, you shoot. Avoid hand to hand at all costs. They're at least as strong as you, I promise,” he catches Robert's chin in his fingers, forces him to meet his gaze. “You do not come back for me.”

He's never heard the noise Robert makes at that before. Something between a whine and a snarl, the curl of his lips stubborn.

Ross slams the breaks on, engine falling quiet. “Show time, kids.”

:::

They make it half way up the hill before the fastest Shell catches up to Adam, Aaron puts a bullet between its eyes before it get more than a hand on him.

It's a blur after that. There's a group that barrel into them when they reach the warehouse, Ross working double time to get the fucking door open.

Liv goes down under some hulk of a guy with half his face missing and Aaron's so busy trying to get a good shot he doesn't even hear it coming.

He ends up on his back under a teenage girl, blood matted hair slapping his face while he struggles to force his gun up between their chests. He manages to blow a whole through her belly but it doesn't slow her down much.

He's about thirty seconds from panicking when the weight of her lifts, Robert stood over him, chest heaving. Aaron watches him toss the girl away before he scrambles to his feet.

“I told you,” he starts but Robert cuts him off.

“Door's open, run.”

He hates it when Robert's right.

:::

He can barely hear anything over the hammering of his own heart, only vaguely aware of Robert and Liv still snarling behind him while they help Ross hurry to secure the door. There's banging on the other side, wet noise of breathing. Aaron starts helping the others drag crates from over by the wall to barricade the door.

The air feels still when they've finished, stale. The Shells outside sound like they're losing interest but Aaron doesn't dare let his guard down. That was too fucking close. How the fuck are they going to get back out of here with no head start?

“Everyone okay?” Ross asks.

Aaron nods. “Fine. We need to check for any other ways in. If we're here for the night, I want this place secure.”

“On it. Debs, you're with me.”

The look Debbie fixes Ross with would have lesser men dropping to their knees, but she follows him anyway.

Robert's hands fall heavy on Aaron's shoulders, stroke up through his hair. “I'm fine,” Aaron tells him, tilts his head to let Robert brush their cheeks together anyway. He doesn't say thank you.

Robert's chest is warm up against his, still heaving. “I know, I know, I just.”

Aaron knows, lays a hand against Robert's cheek to let him know he gets it. “We're all fine. Liv, Vic, you're good right?”

He hears Liv snort. “Course.”

“Robert,” Vic's voice is shaky, wavering with the sort of emotion Aaron has never heard from her before. He thinks, for a second, that she's hurt.

Then he hears it.

That whimper, pain through gritted teeth. He knows that sound.

Adam's slumped against the wall, hand clamped across the place where neck meets shoulder. There's no colour left in his face, sweat beading across his forehead already.

Aaron feels his mouth drop open, can't seem to find a way to close it again. He's on his knees between Adam's spread legs before he knows he's moved, skidding across the concrete floor. “How bad?” he asks.

Adam's eyes are wet. “I'm sorry.”

No. Aaron's not doing this. Not here. Not like this. “How bad?” he asks again.

Reluctantly, Adam lets his hands drop into his lap. The wound on his neck is bleeding sluggishly, jagged around the edges. There's no mistaking it for anything but what it is.

Aaron meets Adam's hopeless gaze, can't think of a single thing to say.

“All secure, boss,” Ross calls and Aaron hears his footsteps stumble to a stop. “What's going on?”

It's Robert who answers, cold as Aaron's ever heard him. “He got bit.”

Ross' silence is deafening.

Vic drops down beside them, face wet and broken open. “Aaron, do something.”

Aaron shakes his head, reaches for some way to explain it to her when he doesn't dare let himself form the thought.

Adam reaches up, thumbs away some of the tears under her eyes. “He can't,” he says and he sounds weak now. It's always so unpredictable but Aaron knows they haven't got long before it starts to take.

“There's got to be something we can do,” Vic protests. “Robert?”

She says his name like it's a prayer. And maybe Aaron's slipped further than the rest of them, because even he can't stop himself glancing back over his shoulder, hoping Robert has some magical way out of this for them.

Robert face is like stone. He looks nothing like the man Aaron got lost in last night.

But he turns his head before he shakes it, like he can't manage to look Vic in the eye while he breaks her heart. It makes Aaron's hurt.

Adam's hand is desperate when it grabs at Aaron's arm. 'Mate, now. You need to do it now.”

“What? What are you doing?” Vic asks, hands on Adam's chest like she can keep him breathing herself.

“We can't let him turn,” Ross chokes out.

Aaron watches the realty of that hit her. That he's about to put a bullet in the first man she's ever wanted. Aaron doesn't even know if Adam ever made his move last night. He'll never get to ask now.

Adam's eyes are getting glassy, colour starting to leach to black. “Aaron.”

Aaron nods, wipes a hand across his face. He hadn't even known he was crying until it comes away wet. It takes all the strength he's got left in his body to stand, and he takes the handgun Ross passes him without turning.

“Vic,” he says. “You need to stand clear.”

But she's shaking her head, clinging on, face hidden in Adam's chest. She's saying something but it's too muffled. Adam drops his face into her hair. “It's okay,” he tells her, even though it isn't.

In the end it takes Debbie and Ross both to drag her away and Aaron tries to block out her sobbing while he raises the gun.

“I'm sorry,” he tells him, because that matters.

Adam nods, smiles in that way only Adam could do right now. “Just do it.”

Aaron's arm doesn't waver, but he's frozen. All he can see is _her_ face, slack mouth raising into a snarl, and his own hand, not pulling the trigger. He can feel the tears on his face now, taste the shape of _mum_ in his mouth like he couldn't back then.

And he's still not moving. Like he couldn't back then.

There's a broad chest up against his back, Robert's hands on his waist, and reality crashes back in. He's back in the warehouse, listening to Adam's breathing slow.

Robert tugs him back a step, holds him tight. He's not alone this time. He's not a kid. He's not afraid.

He pulls the trigger.

 

 


	10. Chapter 10

Gunshots ring in silence. It’s not the first time Aaron’s noticed that. Usually, out in the field, heat of the moment and never a second to hesitate; usually, he doesn’t even feel the kick back, doesn’t stick around to consider the aftermath. You put a Shell down and then you aim for the next one.

This is nothing like that.

Blood is pooling in the space between Adam’s legs, spreading. Aaron’s ears are ringing.

He shoves out of Robert’s arms, pushes the gun against his chest until Robert has no choice but to take it from him. There are rows of boxes and supplies in this place, racks to the ceiling and enough dust to choke the place. Plenty of places to hide.

He finds a dark corner, between the stacks, arse on the dirty floor and back to a dirty cardboard box, pulls his knees to his chest. He’s fine. He’ll be fine. He just needs to get his breath back, and then he’ll be fine.

He can still see her face.

No. There isn’t time for that. There’s no point.

He hears footsteps after a while and glances up, expecting Robert. Liv looks tentative and he tries to offer her a smile, tries not to look like someone who just killed a guy in front of her.

She sits across from him without asking, meets his eyes.

“You alright?” she asks.

He gives her a look.

She rolls her eyes. “You didn’t have a choice.”

“I know that.”

“Right.”

It's cold in here, and her cheeks are stained red with it, fingers pale where she's tapping at the ground. She chews at her lip until she's worked up her nerve. "Do you think he's right?" she asks.

Robert. "About what?

She shrugs. Shifty like a teenager and it's convincing. Almost. If he couldn't see the twist of her mouth. "About us. You being my. Brother. Or whatever"

Aaron doesn't have the words to deal with that. Not right now. Maybe never. "I don't know. It doesn't make a lot of sense"

"Robert wouldn't lie," she says, offended.

It's a relief to have to bite back a smile. Makes him feel light in the heavy pit of his stomach. He tries to be gentle with it anyway. "Yes he would."

She shakes her head bitterly. "So you don't believe it."

"I don't know what I believe any more. We'll probably never know anyway," he nudges her with an elbow. "I can be your brother if you want," he says. "That's not about blood. Not where I come from."

There’s a flicker of a smile on her face and she looks like she’s about to say something when her head snaps to the left. Robert strolls around the corner a few seconds later. How he’s managing to look like he owns the place, even here, Aaron will never know.

Robert drops to a crouch beside Liv, fingers toying with the end of her ponytail. “Everything okay?” he asks.

Liv nods, tugs her hair out of his grasp. “Aaron’s going to be my brother.”

That gets Aaron a head tilt, that icy gaze considering him carefully.

“Is he?” Robert says, mildly. “Lucky you.”

Liv huffs. “Is this the bit where you tell me to go away?”

“Yes,” Robert says, just as Aaron’s opening his mouth to tell her not to be silly.

She rolls her eyes again but she doesn’t look annoyed when she gets to her feet. “You did the right thing,” she tells Aaron as she moves to leave. As though she could ever have any idea about the rights and wrongs of his life. He bites his tongue.

“You don’t need to check up on me,” Aaron says when Robert doesn’t go anywhere, shuffles to sit beside Aaron, their arms pressed tight together.

“Is that what I’m doing?”

“Isn’t it?”

Robert huffs a little but doesn’t take the bait. Aaron knows he’s being an idiot. This is his job, he’s supposed to have learnt how to suck it up by now. This is war, you don’t get to sit around licking your wounds just because you don’t like the way your day turned out.

“That can’t have been easy,” is what Robert says in the end.

“What would you know about it?”

Robert takes that in his stride too. “Nothing. But you’re hurting, that doesn’t make me feel good.”

Aaron’s laugh is harsh, punched from him. “I’m fine. It's not like it was my first time.”

“It was mine,” Robert points out, and there's a teasing lilt to his voice that has Aaron questioning what they're actually talking about here.

It's a shame he's not in the mood for being distracted. “You don't seem too cut up about it.”

Robert shrugs, shoulder shifting against Aaron's. “Not like I haven't tried to kill him myself before.”

Aaron's mouth hangs open, appalled.

Robert ignores him. “Where did you go?”

And fuck that. “I’m right here.”

“No,” Robert says, done with whatever this is. He takes Aaron’s chin in his hand, fingers gentle on his jaw, thumb pressing briefly at the bitten corner of his mouth. “Before. You hesitated. You don’t hesitate. Where did you go?”

Aaron closes his eyes because it’s the only way to escape Robert’s knowing gaze, the only way to keep him out and keep himself whole. But that’s worse, because she’s still there, dancing behind his eyelids; flying hair and soft hands. Home, for a while.

He shakes his head to clear it and Robert lets him go.

“It doesn’t matter,” Aaron says. Because pushing Robert away has got to hurt less than this.

It’s easy to forget, sometimes, the way Robert can look at him. Like he’s looking right into him, like Aaron wouldn’t need to say a word and Robert would still know.

“Who was she?” Robert asks, and Aaron doesn’t know if he’s ever heard his voice so gentle. Maybe last night, when they were sharing breath and skin and heartbeats. This shouldn’t feel like that.

“Don’t,” he says, pleads.

Robert heaves a sigh, shuffles them both until he can get his arm around Aaron’s shoulders and snug him in close.

“She can't hurt your any more,” Robert says, nose buried in Aaron’s hair, breathing him in.

Aaron lets his fingers curl into fists, lets himself ache. He wishes that was true.

“My mum,” he forces out in the end. "Before she turned."

Robert doesn’t say anything, doesn’t react at all, and Aaron’s not giving him any more than that. Not now.

They sit there ‘til the light starts to fade.

:::

By the time Aaron’s fit to face the world again the light’s completely died. Even the Shells hammering outside have trailed off. Ross and Debbie have rolled Adam’s body in tarp, blood stains haphazardly smeared toward the wall. Aaron's grateful he doesn't have to see his face again, even if that does make him feel weak.

Vic’s sitting quietly on her own, face dry now, jaw set. Robert strokes a hand over her head as they pass by, lets her curl a hand around the back of his knee while her lips trembles.

Aaron coughs, awkward. “I’m sorry,” he tells her. Hates how rusty he sounds.

Vic’s eyes flick up to him, a flash of cold right through the middle of his chest.

Robert makes a sharp noise, shakes his head, and she subsides a little.

“It’s not your fault,” she says, doesn’t sound like she believes it any more than he does.

“You remember that,” Robert says, but he's talking to Vic, mouth set. “You remember which side you're on.”

Vic's nostrils flare but she doesn't move otherwise. “I remember,” she insists. “But how would you feel if it was him?”

Robert drops to a crouch in front of her suddenly, leaves Aaron wavering without the heat of him at his shoulder.

“I'm going to let that go, because you're obviously upset,” Robert says, deadly. “But if you ever even _think_ about comparing those two things again, I will snap your neck myself.”

“Robert,” Aaron hisses, shocked. He knocks his knee into Robert's ribs to shut him up.

Vic drops her gaze to her lap, hands twisting together. “It's the same thing,” she says, mulishly.

Robert shakes his head, curves his hand over both of hers. “It isn't. This hurts, this is what pain is. You know pain, you know we keep going.”

“How?” and she's blinking back tears again now, eyes swimming.

“Have I ever let you down?” Robert asks.

She shakes her head, lips rolling into her mouth to hold a sob in.

Robert pats her knee. “Right. Well I'm not about to start now. Stay with Deb and Liv tonight. Do not go over there. And do not ever say anything like that about Aaron again. Okay?”

She nods, jaw set again now. “We keep going.”

“We keep going,” Robert confirms.

Vic reaches out, hand gentle against Aaron's chest, fingertips tapping at his heartbeat. “Sorry Aaron.”

Aaron doesn't have a clue what just happened, so can't do anything more than nod. “Don't worry about it. You're allowed to be upset,” he sees Robert roll his eyes as he straightens up and chooses to ignore him. “Robert's right though. We're all still in a lot of danger out here, so we need to keep it together.”

:::

Between the pair of them, him and Ross agree trying to find the supplies they're here for, let alone thinking about moving out before daylight, would be suicide. So they've no choice but to settle in for the night and try to get some rest.

Aaron ends up “guarding” the the barricaded office area in the north corner, Robert with him for back up because they're fooling exactly no one at this point. Mostly, he's glad Ross is good enough at his job to know that now is not the time for the conversation they need to have. Aaron's so sick of talking.

It's a shame then, that instead of stretching Aaron out across his sleeping bag, Robert leans back on his hands, long legs sprawled out toward Aaron, fucking _edible_ , and asks him how he's feeling.

Aaron scrubs a hand over his face and turns away to change his t shirt, takes his time about balling the other one up in the bottom of his bag.

“Do we have to?” he asks, in the end.

Robert frowns. “I'm being polite! You were upset earlier.”

“I'm compartmentalising,” Aaron tells him, double checking the crates by the door one last time.

“What?”

“I don't want to talk about it.”

“So you're not ok?”

Aaron tries to remember that Robert isn't like him. Patience is difficult to reach for. “Robert, I just shot my friend in the chest. Of course I'm not ok. But I'll get over it. Let's talk about you threatening your sister instead eh?”

Robert looks offended. “I didn't threaten her.”

“You said you'd snap her neck!”

That gets him a shrug. “I meant it. She knows I meant it.”

Aaron looks at the ceiling for a second, the sagging tiles in the little makeshift office. “Do you even get know insane that sounds?”

Robert huffs. “Will you just,” he reaches out, pulling and shuffling at Aaron until he's dragged him to sit astride Robert's hips. “Come here,” he says, hands hot on Aaron's thighs.

Aaron sighs, wishes he could stop himself curving his hands up over the balls of Robert's shoulders, wishes the flood of tenderness in his chest cared at all about how dangerous this is. “You know,” he says. “This feels a lot like I'm rewarding you for being a fucking psychopath.”

“Does it?” Robert's eyes have gone lazy, and Aaron's a lot of things, but he's not stupid enough to turn down a distraction when he needs one.

“You're not going to kill your sister.”

“No,” Robert agrees. “She wont compare you to Adam again.”

Aaron's brow furrows, lost. “What? Robert, I'm exactly like Adam.”

Robert shakes his head, hands sliding up Aaron's back, tugging him in tighter against Robert's chest. “Not to me.”

Aaron opens his mouth to say...he has no idea what he's supposed to say to that, but Robert's mouth is opening against his jugular, tongue dragging hot and wet behind the blunt pressure of his teeth.

Aaron's hands find Robert's hair, sinking into it to tip his head back. It's not often Aaron gets to kiss down into him, feel like he's the one calling the shots. Robert's mouth under his is like a drug, world going fuzzy at the edges, bright behind Aaron's closed eyes. It makes his heart pound, hands sweat; makes him whimper, forget to breathe.

Robert gentles him with a thumb at each corner of Aaron's jaw, turns the kiss into something slow and soft; wet kisses and damp breaths in the space between.

Dimly, Aaron can hear the wind howling outside, the hollow ache in his chest the day has carved out. But it's faint, fading, while Robert fills him up, spreads himself into every space Aaron's ever made inside himself, takes over.

For now, they're not at war, there's nothing else. Just this.

 


	11. Chapter 11

For maybe the first time in his life, Aaron wakes up slowly; too warm and totally content. He feels like the little cat Sam used to feed around the base back in the day; like he's stretched out in a patch of sun, getting his ears stroked. Of course, one of the boys killed that cat and served it up for lunch when rations were tight the following winter, which is probably why the feeling doesn't last long.

Robert grizzles irritably when Aaron's body snaps taut, reality smashing through him. A quick glance around tells him it's barely dawn, nothing's been disturbed in the night, and they're still alone in the office. He lets himself subside enough that Robert can nuzzle his face back into the sweaty, breath-damp space he's made himself between Aaron's jaw and shoulder. Robert's putting out heat as well as any fire would and it's difficult not to give in to the urge to let himself melt. He makes do with rubbing his hand up and down Robert's back a few times, fingers toying with the soft ends of his hair.

“S'early,” Robert informs him, eyes still closed.

Aaron doesn't have to hide his fond smile, there's no one to see it. “And how would you know that?”

Robert doesn't answer, just curls himself more firmly into Aaron's side, and the arm slung across Aaron's belly tightens to cuddle him closer.

He gives himself another five minutes to enjoy it all; the normality of waking up together, the warmth, the spent feeling in his legs. He tries to soak it all in as best he can, because he has no idea if they'll ever get to do this again.

Nothing lasts forever. Nothing even lasts for very long, in Aaron's experience.

It takes everything in him, in the end, to roll out from under Robert, leave him sacked out and grumbling on the floor. “Come on,” he says, hunting up some workable clothes for the day. “We need to get moving if we're going to make it back to the compound today.”

Look Robert gives him is unreadable, eyes shuttered, but he gets up without complaint.

Aaron can't shake the feeling that he's missing something, cold creeping in where he'd just felt so warm.

:::

It takes him and Ross less than an hour to find the supplies Chrissie had listed, get them spread evenly between everyone's backpacks.

Ross only gives him that look once, that _bad shit went down, mate, hold it together_ look.

Aaron gives him a look right back, hands braced on an unmarked box. “I'm fine.”

Ross relents, because he's a lot of things, but new isn't one of them. Aaron's not fine, none of them are fine. But it's irrelevant to getting the job done.

“I'd do the same, if it'd been you,” Ross says in the end, hint of smirk.

Aaron laughs. “I can't tell you how reassuring that is.”

“Just saying. Someone had to do it.”

“Tell Vic that,” Aaron says, mouth twisting.

After they get everything loaded up, there's the usual pause by the doors. Aaron can't hear any Shells outside but that doesn't mean they're not there.

“What now?” Liv asks. She's rumpled from a night on the floor, ponytail askew, looking at Aaron like he's supposed to have any answer to that past: _open the doors and run like hell_.

“We run for it,” Debbie tells her, glances over at Aaron. “Right?”

He nods. “Pretty much. We've got to make it back to the truck and there's no faster way than straight there. Same as on the way here, just run.”

“And what about him?” Liv tips her head to the corner, where Adam's body is still wrapped up, propped in the corner.

“We can't take him with us,” Ross says, keeps talking over the low-level rumble coming from Vic. “He'd get it.”

Aaron see Robert put a hand on the back of Vic's neck, watches his mouth move even though he can't hear what he's saying to her. It settles Vic well enough though, so maybe it doesn't matter.

Aaron double checks his weapons, now is not the time to get distracted. “Stick together, if Ross or I tell you to move, you move,” he steps forward, helps Ross start the process of getting the doors open and offers one last piece of advice. “No one die.”

The sun's bright out today. Showtime.

:::

He and Ross manage to clear a pretty decent path down the hill, Shells spaced out enough to put them down quick fire. It's the swarm around the truck they hadn't banked on, and it turns into chaos from there.

Aaron and Vic get pushed back up through the village, trying to stick with Liv. Aaron loses complete track of Robert, can hear Ross shouting over the rain of gunfire. Chrissie was right, Aaron's never seen this many Shells in one place, it's like they're crawling out of the brickwork the deeper into the old village they go.

He catches Ross' eye, crouched low behind what used to be a garden wall, tries to catch his breath as well. “We're too far past the truck,” he shouts over.

Ross nods, wiping sweat from his eyes. He fires off a shot to keep a Shell from grabbing Debbie from behind. Aaron can see the truck down the road, has no idea how they've been forced so far past it without managing to turn it around. They need to regroup.

He keeps firing, uses the wall for cover as best he can but he can see more Shells in the distance, coming over the hill at a stroll, like they can't even be bothered to consider them a threat.

The pub catches Aaron's eye. Not because it looks easy to defend, there's half a fucking wall missing, but because it's big. There's got to be a cellar, or something secure they can hole up in. He's not giving up on this, but there's only so long they can keep holding the Shells off in this number.

“Pub?” he shouts to Ross, who doesn't have to decency to not laugh, even in this situation.

“Pub,” he agrees, calls out to the others.

It's a straight shot once Aaron's over the wall, and he's hoping like hell all the Shells have been drawn outside already because if there's more waiting for them in there, they're fucked.

He makes it to the doorway a step behind Ross, ushers him in. “Clear the decks, I'll get the others,” he tells him, finally understands now how much it must have sucked to be Cain for all those years, risking everything to stay back and keep his boys safe. How much Aaron's injury must have felt like a personal loss.

Still, he can't leave Liv and Robert out here.

He gets Liv and Vic through the door quickly. Debbie's a few paces behind when she gets taken out from the side. Aaron's never seen a Shell jump like that, ratty blonde hair flying. He's too busy picking off other approaching Shells to be able to help her, doesn't have time to stop it when Robert jumps after them.

He sees Robert heft the woman into the air, face contorted in pure rage while Debbie scrambles clear. Aaron's voice is a pained choke when Robert sinks his teeth into the Shell's throat, tosses her aside, teeth and chin stained red. It's the least like a man Aaron has ever seen him look and it shakes something loose inside him, fear and horror and something he doesn't think he's ever felt before in his life. Robert's got a rifle slung over his shoulder and he hadn't even reached for it once.

It's cool inside the pub, dark where others have tried to board the windows. There are three Shells bleeding out by the bar while Aaron hustles everyone into a small back room.

They barricade the doors with the remaining furniture as best they can.

“What the fuck happened to you?” Ross is shouting at Robert.

He's still red down his chin, Shell blood and god knows what else. It makes Aaron's stomach heave to think about.

“Saving me,” Debbie says, shouldering by to wind herself around Robert's side. “Got the job done didn't he?”

“And if you turn?” Aaron asks, his voices sounds as hollow as his chest feels, can't take his eyes off Robert.

Robert has the decency to wipe at his face with his sleeve. He doesn't seem to understand that he's dripping with poison.

“I can't turn,” he says, looks wounded when he takes a step toward Aaron and Aaron backs the fuck up. “Aaron, I'm already a Shell. I can't turn.”

“You don't know that!” Ross shouts, panicking now, which is useful, because Aaron can't seem to make his mouth work.

Robert throws his hands up. “Of course I do. Look, you've got your guns, we've got teeth. Just as effective.”

And he looks so sure, is the thing, that Aaron almost starts to let himself believe it. He's a fucking idiot.

“You can't know that,” he says, suddenly angry. He can feel it bubbling inside him. How could Robert do this?

“You don't think we'd all be able to smell it if I was going to turn?” Robert asks. He comes closer, eyes soft. That same hypnotising gaze he's always ruined Aaron with, and Aaron wishes he couldn't feel himself wavering. Robert's hand are like brands when they curl around Aaron's biceps, he can feel the burn right through his jacket. “I promise you, I can't turn, you don't ever need to worry about that.”

And that's what snaps him, that's where Aaron breaks. He knows what Robert's getting at, know who he means. This is not about _her_.

Aaron bares his own teeth, can't help himself, snarls, “You'd better fucking hope that's true. Get yourself cleaned up, you're disgusting.”

He doesn't look up into Robert eyes, doesn't want to see the hurt there. Robert doesn't get to decide how Aaron feels about this one. He hasn't got any idea of the things Aaron's seen.

:::

Between him and Ross they secure the back half of the pub. There's no safe way to get back out, but Aaron's fairly sure they've got a decent while before anything can get in. Long enough for them to get their shit together, he hopes.

There's running water in one of the upstairs bathrooms, ice cold but clean enough to wash up in. Aaron takes his time, avoids his own reflection in the cracked mirror above the sink. He doesn't want to know what his face is doing right now.

He's dressing in one of the bedrooms, feeling out of place between the moth eaten lace curtain and floral bedspread. Aaron's always amazed by how untouched a place can be, even if it's crawling with Shells. This place is like an echo chamber in the middle of a hurricane.

He bristles when Robert slips in the door. He's naked from the waist up, wet right up through his hair. It's making his nipples pebble and Aaron wishes he wasn't still noticing things like that, even now.

“Don't worry,” Robert says, hands held aloft. “I couldn't be cleaner if I tried.”

“Is that supposed to be funny?” there's still fury rolling under Aaron's skin. He doesn't know how much of it is at Robert and how much of it is fear. It's not particularly something he wants to think about too deeply.

Robert sighs, coming to sit on the edge of the bed. He doesn't try to stop Aaron moving away. “I'm saying I did what you asked. But you really need to start listening to me.”

“I do nothing else,” Aaron exclaims. “All of this, I'm taking your word for. All of it. And you go and do that. Do you have any idea how it felt for me to see you with a mouthful of that stuff? Do you have any idea what I've seen that stuff do to people? People I cared about, people I...” he can't finish that thought. He can't do it.

Robert rests his forearms across his knees. “I can't turn.”

“So you said.”

“You think I don't know?” Robert asks, and it's quiet, his rage, deadly like the rest of him. It silences Aaron quicker than a shout would have done. Robert's eyes are lethal. “You think they didn't check? You think there's anything a Shell could do to me that they haven't already tried out?”

“What?” but Aaron knows what he means, what he's saying. Robert was made in a lab, he's a science experiment to Home Farm Corp, an investment. It's only Aaron he's the world to.

“You think just because you've been to war, that you've seen the worst of the world,” Robert says. “Maybe you're right. But I haven't just been sitting twiddling my thumbs waiting for you to come and rescue me, alright? So yes, I do know that I can't turn. I know that I can't turn you. And no, you don't want to know how they had me test that theory when I was smaller than Liv.”

The air is stale and cold inside Aaron's open mouth. He can feel his heart picking up speed in his chest, even while it's breaking.

Robert looks away, smiles bitterly. “Do you want to know what sort of electrical current I can withstand? Because I'm sure Dr Pollard's got the results somewhere in his little office. He's got all sorts.”

Aaron's shaking his head, even though he knows that wasn't actually a question. “All of you?” is all he can get out.

The bitter smile twists and he shakes his head. “What's the point of having a guinea pig if you you have to test all your prototypes?”

Jesus. Aaron had know, on some level, that things couldn't be as squeaky clean as they looked back at the compound. But he hadn't wanted to give it much thought beyond that. He feels sick all over again.

“I'm sorry,” he says, even if it's hopeless.

Robert shrugs. “Better me than any of the others. And I got too strong for them eventually, you know what happened to the last guy they sent in to try something.”

Aaron goes to him, can't stay away any longer. He takes Robert's face between his hands, lets the tender ache spread until his eyes feel wet. Robert turns his face into Aaron's belly, and Aaron cuddles his head close, fingers stroking through the wet of his hair.

“I'm sorry,” he says again. Because someone should be. Someone should hurt for this.

Robert pulls back to look up at him, hands gentle on Aaron's hips. “So am I,” he says. “For scaring you. I should have explained all this before now.”

Aaron strokes his thumb across the skin of Robert's cheek, shakes his head. “I should have trusted you. I wish I could have helped you.” He wants to march back into that compound right now and rip the head off anyone who ever laid a finger on Robert.

Robert turns his face into Aaron's palm, presses a kiss there. “You did. I knew you'd come.”

It's not even something to question any more. “I'm here now,” Aaron tells him, folding down to his knees between Robert's spread legs so he can hold him close. “I'm not going anywhere.”

Aaron knows what the feeling behind his ribs is, this time, and now isn't the time but he lets it's spread through him anyway. The only thing that can make any of this worth it. The thing that means he's not afraid when he tugs Robert's mouth down to meet his own. There are tears on Aaron's face, he realises now, salt between their lips. 

He's going to make them pay for this.

 


	12. Chapter 12

Aaron wakes up warm for the third day in a row. Only this time he's in a bed, early morning light hazy through some dead woman's curtains, Robert a line of blistering heat down his side. Even the stale smell of disturbed dust and rising damp can't spoil the flutter of contentedness that seeps through him.

When Aaron finally peels an eye open Robert's propped up on an elbow, cheek on his fist, staring.

Aaron groans, rolls to bury his face in the space under Robert's arm. There, that smells better. That smells like home to someone who's never had one. When Robert's hand comes round to rub up Aaron's back, fingers scratching into his hair, cupping the back of his head, Aaron thinks he could probably die happy right here. He makes a mental note of that, for when the time comes.

“Morning,” Robert says, dropping a kiss to Aaron's hair. “It's still early, no one's up yet.”

“Yeah?” Aaron's voice is muffled, hiding as he is.

“Sounds like Debbie's on watch. I could hear Ross snoring from a mile away.”

Aaron flops on to his back. Robert's smiling down at him, mouth a gentle curve. Aaron watched that mouth tear a chunk out of someone yesterday, and now it's smiing. Soft and faintly amused and all for Aaron.

It makes his head hurt sometimes, trying to hold all the pieces of Robert together in his mind.

He scrubs a hand over his face, lets a yawn crack through him, back arching. “Did I know you could hear that well?”

Robert shrugs. “Only when it's quiet. It can be pretty useful.”

“I'll bet.”

He lets himself sink into the bed for another moment. Who knows when he'll have this again? Something tells him Pollard's not going to be a fan of Aaron's plans to move into the prototype accomodation when they get back.

Robert's hand slides across his chest, up to ruffle his fingers through Aaron's beard. “I don't have one these,” he says.

Aaron can't help but rub at his own scratchy face again. It's true, they've been out here for days now and Robert hasn't even got a hint of stubble, his jaw his still soft and smooth under Aaron's wandering touch.

“Do you think it's a Shell thing?”

Aaron shrugs. “Could be. Could just be a you thing.”

Robert glances down. If Aaron didn't know any better he'd say he was fighting the beginnings of a blush. “Do you-” he pauses. “You don't mind?”

This Robert is definitely new. He's only ever unsure of himself when they're alone like this. It makes Aaron feel tender, special. He couldn't ever have imagined getting this far inside the walls of the man he'd met his first day in the compound. The Robert was an animal, terrified and snarling, Aaron knows now. This Robert is all for him.

He draws Robert down for a kiss. The kind of gentle, languid kiss they can't usual spare the time for. Getting to do this more often, more freely, hasn't done anything to tamper the roar of want Robert's presence has always dragged through Aaron, but like this, it's like water lapping at him, rolling through him at a slow boil. It makes him toes curl and his thighs tense, clenches his fingers around the ball of Robert's shoulder. He can feel his body arching, trying to get closer.

Robert slips an arm between Aaron's back at the bed, uses it to drawn the arch of him up even further, until their chests are pressed together and Aaron loses track of which heartbeat he can feel pounding in his chest.

He's gasping when they part, leg slung over Robert's hip.

“Should I take that as a no?” Robert asks, smirk very firmly back in place.

Aaron wants to _ruin_ him.

He shakes his head absently. “Take it how you like,” and shoves with everything he's got.

Robert goes willingly, sprawling on his back, letting Aaron crawl over him. Aaron lets his tongue wet the dip of his clavicle, the peak of each nipple, the fuzz of hair beneath his belly button. Robert's huge at the best of times, great and hulking, shoulders that could take out a truck. Like this, melting into the bed, pulling at his own hair while he fights to hold still, the expanse of him seems insurmountable. Aaron wants to put his mouth on every inch of him, feels greedy and helpless with it. He wants everyone to know Robert's his, the same way he's Robert.

Robert's moan is long and broken, when Aaron sinks his teeth into the muscle at the top of his thigh, full-bodied. His hands slap down on Aaron's shoulders, scrambling for purchase.

“Aaron.”

Aaron shakes his head to quiet him, nosing into the crease of his hip. He feels like an animal himself now, can smell the heat of Robert through the army issue underwear he's got on. Robert's hard against his cheek, and Aaron imagines he's already leaking, already aching for Aaron's mouth.

He curls his fingers in the waistband, peels them down and off, until Robert's on show for him.

He is leaking, a little, head of that perfect dick shiny in the half-light. Aaron's mouth is watering.

“Aaron,” Robert says again, and he glances up this time.

Robert's up on his elbows, mouth hanging open and cheeks red. He looks like every wet dream Aaron's ever had. God, they probably were about him, weren't they? Before he even knew it.

He lets his tongue drag under the head of Robert's cock now. “What?”

Robert's throat clicks when he swallows. “I've never-”

“I know.”

Aaron watches his belly tense, tight little flickers jumping while Robert fights to hold still.

“Are you sure you-”

“Robert,” Aaron cuts him off. “Shut up.”

He sucks him down before Robert can get another word out. Robert collapses back into the pillows, gasping for breath and it winds through Aaron, the satisfaction, the heady flush of power.

He takes Robert deep, long pulls of his mouth, tongue slipping over the head to taste him. Gets his hands on Robert's thighs to shove them up, open him up. He's never known a hunger like this, not even during the longest winters of his childhood, when he was quite literally starving. He feels like his chest might collapse in on itself if he can't have Robert, need clawing at him until he's swallowing around the head of Robert's dick, listening to him shout while he comes down Aaron's throat.

Robert is panting up at the ceiling when Aaron lifts his head, arms starfished and long enough that he's holding on to either side of double mattress like a lifeline.

Aaron licks at his lips, knows he smirking and doesn't give a fuck. “Okay?” he asks. His voice sounds used and it's enough to make him shiver.

Robert's eyes flutter open, fingers uncurling one by one until he can reach down for Aaron, drag him bodily up Robert's chest to kiss him again.

“You taste like me,” Robert tells him, tongue sliding against Aaron's.

Aaron huffs a laugh. “Yeah.”

Aaron's not normally a swallower, if he's honest. The first time he ever blew someone, some jumped up little twat in his first barracks, trying to make a point, Aaron had spat his load back at him, watched it drip down the folds of his shirt. He'd hated himself for a good while after that, felt dirty for it.

This is nothing like that.

Robert kisses him again, deeper than before, arm around Aaron's shoulders to hold him close while the other has Aaron by the hip, pulling until Aaron has no choice but to grind his hard on against the hard plane of Robert's abdomen. He couldn't stop himself it he tried.

Robert gets a hand down between them when Aaron comes, teeth in Robert's shoulder, back heaving, strokes him through the after shocks.

Aaron feels dazed, barely a minute to gather himself back inside his skin from where he's splintered across Robert's chest.

Ross hammering on the door has them snapping to attention, braced to spring apart. “Breakfast,” he shouts, and then the heavy fall of his boots fading down the stairs.

Aaron groans, steals a final kiss before he forces himself out of bed and back into his dirty clothes. “You couldn't have given me a heads up about that?” he asks.

Robert eyes him, still sacked out in the bed, stretching himself. He's got Aaron's come smeared across his sternum but he doesn't seem concerned about it. It's making Aaron feel breathless.

“I was sort of distracted,” Robert points out.

Aaron swallows.

Aaron should know better. It might seem warm and cosy in here, their own little bubble of normal. But he's got to pull himself together now, lead their team back to safety. He can't be Robert's Aaron out there, he needs to remember that.

:::

Breakfast is a sober affair, all things considered. Vic is still curled in on herself, bleak in her mourning and it's rubbing off on the others. Debbie is coiled tighter than Aaron's ever seen her, even Liv barely offers him a glance, braced over her food tin at the table.

Thank fuck for Ross. And there's something he never thought he'd say.

“So you two have kissed and made up then?” he says, waggling his fork between the pair of them.

Robert only rolls his eyes, so it's Aaron that kicks Ross on his way past. “Get fucked,” he says.

Ross hmms. “Aint that your job mate?”

Aaron, who is still nursing the kind of punch-drunk satisfaction that is of absolutely no use to him on this mission, takes his turn to roll his eyes, sitting down with his breakfast. “Stop talking.”

Ross holds his hands up, fork dripping. “Alright, just making sure your head's still in the game. We've gotta move out today.”

Aaron nods. “Last chance I reckon, we're gonna have to take twelve and six, throw all the ammo we've got at them. We need to get back in that truck.”

“And then what?” Debbie asks, and her eyes are more icy than usual. Startlingly so.

Aaron frowns, shrugs. “We get ourselves back to the compound as quick as we can. We can make it by nightfall, easy.”

Aaron watches all the girls turn to Robert. Watches Liv sneak a glance at him, sucking at her lip.

Robert shakes his head. “No.”

“No what?” Aaron asks, when he realises Robert's talking to him.

“Aaron,” he says, like reminding him of something Aaron should already know. “We're not going back.”

It would probably be melodramitic to say the bottom falls out of Aaron's world, but that's exactly what it feels like. Like the ground just isn't there any more and he's in freefall. Robert doesn't even look apologetic.

“What?”

“We're not going back. We can't go back. You know we can't.”

Aaron knows no such thing. “We have to.”

Debbie snaps. “Fuck that. You really think we're going to let you lock us back up again?” she shows Aaron her teeth. “Try it.”

Robert gets her by the hair, tips her head back until she quietens. “Enough. He gets it.”

And Aaron does get it. Of course he does, especially after what Robert told him yesterday. But there's no other way. “You have to come back. You wont survive out here.”

It's Liv who shrugs. “Better than being back there.”

Ross nudges him, speaks in an undertone. “We go back without them, we might as well not go back at all.”

Which is true. Aaron doesn't care what promises Chrissie White might have made, if they actually lose Robert out here, Pollard will have them strung up.

Robert comes towards him, has him by the shoulders, eyes and voice soft. “You're not going back either,” he says. “You stay with me.”

Aaron pushes at him. He can feel burning behind his eyes. “I'm a liability,” he reminds him. “As soon as these injections wear off, I'm fucked. Vic's got more chance out here than I do. And what about the others? You're just going to leave them there to rot?”

He looks at Vic, the most empathetic of them all, but she just looks away.

Robert's eyes flicker but he shrugs. “Every war has casualties. Didn't you teach me that?”

“Yes. It'll be you if you stay out here! This is insane. Do you realise how insane this is? You're going to get yourselves killed. You want to be free? Do it the right way.”

Robert shakes his head. “There's nothing right about any of this.”

Aaron can feel his control of the situation slipping, can feel everything he cares about slipping. Thinks, fuck it, it's all he's got left. “So you're just going to leave me?”

Half an hour ago they were in bed, sharing skin. And now this?

“No,” Robert's denial is violent, he has Aaron by the chin in the space of a blink, forcing Aaron to meet his gaze. “That is not an option.”

“Then you're coming back,” Aaron tells him, arms flapping helplessly.

Robert's mouth opens but he never gets to say anything before a scream splits the air.

Robert's head snaps up, focus shifting immediately. “Human,” he tells them.

But Aaron knows. He's heard enough shouts like that to know exactly whats going on. There's a civilian outside and they're scared for their life.

Aaron and Ross race to undo all their hard work barricading the door. Aaron's stunned to see Robert and the others at their sides, hadn't figure them much for caring about civilian casualties. Especially in the middle of this kind of argument.

It must be less than two minutes before they're barrelling into daylight, half blind. Aaron hopes they were quick enough.

There are less Shells gathered outside than he would have thought, but too many to plough straight through, unprepared like this. He puts down eight in the time it takes him to spot her, and by then Robert's already got her slung over one shoulder, running back toward them.

“Fall back,” Aaron shouts, clamps a hand down on Debbie's shoulder to pull her back to the safety of the pub. Robert knocks by them, Vic and Liv following after him.

Aaron leaves Ross and Debbie to secure the door again. He's got an injured civilian in a room of prototypes right now. And no fucking medic.

Robert's stood in the kitchen when Aaron slips into the back room, the girl still in his arms. She's left bloody handprints all over the skin of Robert's neck, but all Aaron can see of her is matted blonde hair and the heaving shoulders of her tiny frame.

Robert's got a hand splayed across her back, and he's shushing her like she's a baby. Aaron has no idea what to make of it. He hates the surge of jealousy that rushes through him, stamps down on it fast. The poor girl just nearly died. God knows how long she's been out here.

“Is she ok?” he asks.

Aaron stops dead when Robert looks up. The blank fear on his face like nothing Aaron has ever seen. Robert looks like the earth has just shifted out from under him.

It's not until he extracts himself from the girl's grip, turning her slightly so they can all see, that Aaron gets it.

She's human, definitely human; starved and bloodied. Terrified. There's a bite mark over her jugular, still bleeding sluggishly.

One Robert put there yesterday.

 


	13. Chapter 13

It feels like it takes a long time for the girl to calm down enough that she lets Robert sit her on the sofa and extract himself from her grip. She's curled in on herself, arms folded over her belly like she's holding herself together, now Robert's not doing it for her. She doesn't seem at all concerned with the weeping hole in her throat.

“Someone needs to take a look at that,” Ross says.

The girl's eyes snap to him and she bares her teeth. It's not nearly as horrifying as it had been yesterday, when she'd gone for Debbie in the street.

Oh Jesus. Aaron needs to sit down.

It's Vic who steps forward, eyes on Robert. “I don't understand.”

Ross snorts. “Join the club, sweetheart. Have you always been able to do that?” he asks Robert.

Robert still looks lost, the most vulnerable Aaron's ever seen him with an audience. It makes Aaron want to go to him, to give him a place to hide, but he can't seem to make his legs work.

“Of course he hasn't,” Liv snaps. She climbs up on the dining chair behind Robert so she can wrap her arms around his shoulders. Aaron doesn't know which one of them she's comforting.

“Well how should I know?” Ross exclaims, pointing at the huddled, shivering girl between them. “She was a fucking Shell yesterday, he gets his teeth in her and now she's fine? What am I supposed to think?”

“That if anyone knew there was a cure, we wouldn't be out here,” Aaron says. It sounds hollow, as stunned as he still feels. But he knows Robert, he can read the pale blankness of his face, the way he's holding on to the arm Liv's got slung across his chest. Robert didn't know.

The silence is split by another scream; Vic roaring, grabbing up one of the chairs barricading the door and hurling it at the wall. Aaron's body goes cold, then hot, fight or flight rearing through him. “Adam,” she shouts, and her eyes are wild, nothing like Aaron has ever seen on her. “You could have saved Adam.” She makes like she's going to go for Robert, and Aaron steps between them before he can think to do anything else.

“He didn't know,” Aaron says, puts as much authority into it as he can muster while he's still reeling. “Vic, he didn't know, I promise you. None of us knew.”

It's terrifying, watching that icy cold gaze narrow down to him. “You killed him,” she says, vicious with it. “You didn't have to and you _killed_ him.”

If Aaron wasn't already carrying around enough guilt about that sort of thing to drown him, the hateful, bitter twist of her mouth would probably be enough to push him under. As it is, he slips into negotiation mode like he's still got Cain at his back and Sammy's rifle trained over his shoulder.

“Come on, think about it. If Robert knew he could cure anyone, why wouldn't he have done it already?”

Her eyes flicker and he thinks, for a second, that she's listening to him. But if there's one thing Aaron knows better than guilt, it's grief, and he can't say he's surprised when she comes at him.

He's caught between the urge to run and the need to brace for it, when Robert steps between them. It happens in an instant, one second Vic's flying at him, the next Robert's got her by the throat. He snarls like it's been ripped from him, and tosses her at the wall like a ragdoll. She bounces off it, lands with a thump on the floor, in the splintered remains of the chair.

The silence echoes. Ross has got his gun up, trained right on her; the girl on the sofa is balled up, rocking; Robert's still vibrating with rage.

It takes longer than usual for Vic to open her eyes, push herself to sitting.

“Stay down,” Robert barks at her.

Aaron watches Vic, Debbie, and Liv all snap to attention. He's never seen Liv so still.

Robert stalks closer, drops to a crouch near her frozen sprawl. His voice, when he speak, is quiet, deadly. “You ever think about putting your hands on him like that again, we're going to have a problem. You know the rules.”

Vic rolls her eyes. “I wasn't going to hurt him”

Aaron swallows a snort. He'd thought she was about to take his head off.

Robert ignores her. “You want to take it out on someone, you take it out on me. I'm the one who could have saved him.”

“Did you know?” Vic asks. She lays a palm against Robert's cheek, like she'll be able to feel whether he's telling the truth, eyes flicking back and forth across his face.

“No. They did a lot of tests with humans, and vials of blood and things,” he shrugs. “I've definitely tasted Shell blood before, but I'd never seen one, I promise you. Vic, you _know me_.”

Her other hand comes up, so she's cupping Robert's face between her palms. Robert stays still, letting her. Aaron's seen the trust between them all first hand, has felt it on a few occasions, but it's rare, to see them be gentle with each other. It's making his stomach knot about asking them to get back in their cages, makes him feel wrong.

Debbie and Liv go to wind themselves around the pair of them, until Robert's got them all gathered into his arms.

Ross huffs, tucking his gun back into the place. “This is all very touching,” he says. “But what are we going to do with her?”

Aaron looks back to the girl on the sofa. She's blinking out at them now, eyes huge in her head. He feels another surge of guilt, for not giving her his full attention. She's an injured civilian for god's sake.

He goes to her, hands up when she flinches so she knows he wont touch. “Hey, it's okay. No one's going to hurt you. Can you tell me your name?”

He watches her disappear inside herself for a moment, watches her brow furrow. Her voice is hoarse, rusty. “Tracey?” she says. “I think. I don't – it's all such a blur.”

Aaron nods, tries to look understanding. He's dealt with civilians that have been fending for themselves for years, but never one that's been a fucking Shell for god knows how long. “Okay, that's okay, Tracey, you're doing great. My name's Aaron. Are you feeling okay?” she's got a chunk missing from her neck but it doesn't even seem like she's noticed.

She scrubs her bloodied hands over her face, which does nothing to improve the state of her. “I don't know. Achey? My head hurts a bit. But okay, I suppose. Do you know where my sister is?”

Aaron shakes his head. “Sorry. We only just found you, didn't we? There's a bathroom upstairs, do you feel up to getting cleaned up so we can make sure you're not hurt anywhere else? Are you hungry?”

She puts a hand over her stomach, shaking her head. “No. No food.”

“Okay. Ross, why don't you show Tracey where the bathroom is. Tracey, this is Ross, he's going to get you anything you need.”

Ross gives him a look, like _cheers mate_ , as if there's anyone else he can trust to look after her right now.

He waits until Ross and Tracey have left the room to make his way over to Robert and the girls. Can't help but smooth a hand over Robert's hair where his head's bowed.

Liv's the first one to break away, knocking her elbow into Aaron's stomach on her way past him because she's a little shit. “What was that for?!”

“Don't know what you're talking about,” she says, hint of a grin on her lips, teeth on show.

Vic gives him a hug when she stands up, which he's not expecting.

“Sorry Aaron,” she says.

He shakes his head. “You don't have to keep apologising to me. And you,” he says to Robert, “Need to stop acting like I can't fight my own battles.”

Debbie laughs at him, her own hand gentle across Aaron's shoulders. “She'd have taken you to pieces,” she points out.

Which is true, but not the point. “Shut up.”

That just makes her laugh harder, mood finally breaking.

Aaron gives Vic's back a rub, so she knows there's no hard feelings, before he lets her go.

Robert doesn't move at first, forehead coming to rest against Aaron's thigh for a minute while Aaron strokes his hair again. “You okay?”

Of course he's not, he's just had the shock of his life.

Robert's hand curls around the back of his calf for a second, before he takes a deep breath and unfolds himself from the floor. He puts his face in the crook of Aaron's neck, inhaling. Aaron gives him a minute, curls his fingers in the back of Robert's shirt and accepts the hug. Soaking himself in Robert, in the press of their chests together and the hot puffs of Robert's breath on his skin, it settles them both back down. Aaron's still buzzing with shock, and the adrenaline high of the rescue mission, but he can feel his shoulders easing with every exhale.

“I didn't know,” Robert mumbles into his neck. “I promise.”

“I know. I know you didn't.”

Robert pulls back, hands tightening on Aaron's hips. “Is she alright? The girl?”

Aaron nods. “I think so. I'll go and check on her in a minute.”

Robert sags in his hold. “Am I the cure?” he asks. "Are we the cure?"

Aaron breathes him in, turns his head to press a kiss to Robert's jaw, and holds on tighter. “I don't know.”

But what other explanation is there?

:::

He finds Ross loitering on the landing, sound of running water coming from behind the bathroom door.

“She alright?” he asks.

Ross shrugs. “Would you be?”

A fair point.

“So what's the plan?” Ross asks.

Aaron sighs. “Hell if I know. We haven't got many options once we run out of these injections. I don't know about you but my knee's fucked already.”

A nod while Ross tests out his shoulder. “Yeah, we're going to need a top up before we go out there again. Any more kick back and I'm done.”

Aaron takes a breath, it doesn't sit right with him, opening up to Ross but they haven't got much more than each other right now. And he needs to let it out. “I'm worried, about what they'll do to Robert, and the others, if they find out they're the cure.”

It's pure selfishness, putting Robert's safety above all else. He just needs to buy himself some time.

“If they don't already know,” Ross says.

“What?”

“You heard what he said. They did all sorts of tests, Pollard's got data coming out his arse about every aspect of their DNA. Do you really think they missed this?”

“We did.”

“Well we didn't engineer them, did we. Come on mate, I know you want a happy ending here but let's be realistic.”

“Why would they sit on a cure?”

Ross rubs a hand across the rough of his beard. “I don't know. Money? If there's no virus, there's no need for Home Farm any more is there?”

Aaron slumps against the wall, stunned. What if Ross is right? What if he wouldn't just be marching Robert back into a torture chamber? What lengths would they go to to cover this up?

“So we go back and keep quiet? Until we can figure out what they know?” Aaron suggests. It's not a plan he likes, but it could work.

“Maybe. You really think you can convince them to go back?”

“I don't know,” Aaron tells him, sinking feeling in his belly threatening to overwhelm him. “He said they tortured him. Doing their research.”

Ross pulls a face. “Wouldn't surprise me.”

The rage that bubbles up in Aaron blindsides him, leaves his fists balled and his shoulders shaking. No. No more. “I can't ask them to do it. Not until we know what we're dealing with.”

The truth of it is, that for all Aaron knows now, they might well be in more danger back at the compound. He's not letting anyone lay a hand on Robert until he knows they're on the right side. Never again.

“I didn't sign up for this you know,” Ross says. “We go AWOL with their prize possession, we're painting a target right on all of our backs.”

Aaron nods. “Yeah. But you're with me?”

Ross' eyes roll, and his sigh is put upon. '”Yeah.”

They stand together for a minute, Aaron's mind racing. “So we've got to get them somewhere _safe_ ,” nods at the door. “Her too.”

Ross looks at him, catching on. “We'd need back up,” he says.

“Right.”

Ross shakes his head. “You really think we can pull that off?”

Aaron hasn't got a clue. “It's got to be worth a try. At least until we can figure out what we're dealing with. Is there anyone else you'd trust with this?”

Ross is silent.

Anything's worth a try at this point.

  
  


 

**Author's Note:**

> join me on tumblr, i'm vckaarrob


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